OT education Vs Experience

[Scum-Triumphant]

Seeing something about somebody being highly educated on another thread got me thinking. Do you value Education or Experience.

I would fall on the side of experience. I have a Degree in English Studies from SHU and a PGCE. Neither of these give me any benefit towards my job, they just meant that I could get the job in the first place.

I have not taught for years and now manage a contract within a college. There is no way I could do this without the experience of the life skills I got working at a Chemical Plant, Warehouse, Powder Coaters, FLT Driver et al.

Another question that intrigues me is; As a society are we educated too young and should go out and work in entry level jobs before choosing to return to education to go into a profession?

The world is changing rapidly. I don't think education is keeping up.

[rolymiller]

Good points scum. There are many a millionaire who aint got an academic qualification at all. The school of life often gives us all a good education.

[avondalemiller]

....education every time.... if a Prostitute has loads of experience it usually means she get's less work....lol

[Pocket rocket]

Experience every time.
Both myself and Scum work in the same industry and it’s about credibility.

Experience gives you more than any qualifications can.
I do understand though that you need to be qualified for certain roles.

[CTMilller]

Education generally is a good filter for creating a short list - but rely solely on it at your peril. There will be diamonds among those who don't meet the educational criteria for a role.

Then again, education levels are more relevant and critical for certain career paths than others (eg accounting, law)

Experience should be the differentiating factor for choosing from the shortlist.

To the second question there is no hard and fast answer. As a generality, I do think we are overeducating academically and too much emphasis has been put on having to go to university. Work training through apprenticeships - often combined with part time vocational education - can be much more useful than, say, doing film studies at some ex-polytechnic that's now called a university just because that gets you the degree. Degrees that have thin sandwich work experience will be good for some.

The more we can offer a tailored approach that suits industry, commercial and academic needs as well as individual learning styles, the better.

[KerrAvon]

This thread is based upon a false dichotomy. Surely both have value with which is the most important being determined by the situation?

[Scum-Triumphant]

This thread is based upon a false dichotomy. Surely both have value with which is the most important being determined by the situation?

My question was directed at an individual’s opinion on which they value more.
Not what is more important for a functioning society.

I was interested in how many people value one thing over the other.

[mikemiller]

For skilled jobs you need qualifications to start... but then you learn from experience too, so they are linked together really. To pick up on a previous point... "Lifelong learning" is a good idea in principle , but without the resources it will have a low uptake. The high tuition fees will put prospective mature students off, plus the HE/FE institutions that would have provided suitable part-time/evening class courses (ie not Oxbridge) have been drastically underfunded/understaffed in recent years and many courses closed.

[frogmiller]

The only people who know which education to take from the outset are usually kids who want a life in law or medicine everyone else just follow what they enjoy doing.

There aren't many people who you meet that will say that they're doing the job they set out to do but there are many who'll say that it's they're doing the job of their dreams.

Knowing how important it is here to get a job for young people I'd say that a minimum Bachelors degree is essential to get a wage above minimum wage. A master degree is ideal to get a decent foot on the ladder but then it's knowing someone that'll get you to the interview stage.

So for anyone in education get the highest qualification posible.

[gm_gm]

Interesting point, both are equally important. At the outset as Frog refers too the certificates get your feet through the door, but from personal experience people with lower qualifications but with more drive and experience will flourish more.