Most of us often take a student loan to complete a college degree at our dream college. But is a college degree even worth it today? According to a recent poll by Gallup, only 51% of individuals in the US view a college degree to be an essential criterion for future success. Many employers today prefer real-life job experience over a traditional degree when making their recruitment decisions. Let’s look at whether you actually need a college degree in 2021.
1) E-learning offers convenient alternatives to a college degree
E-learning is imparted with the help of videos, text, audio, animations, live sessions, and much more. It allows the educator and learner to teach and learn respectively without depending on a traditional classroom environment. Furthermore, many education and technology blogs offer access to research papers & real-life practical examples that can enhance the student’s learning experience. The benefits of distance learning include gaining a different perspective on learning and, at times, finishing a course at your own pace. There are many online learning platforms in 2021 for you to look at if you’re considering e-learning.
2) In a job, your skill sets and experience matter more than textbook knowledge
To succeed in any career, you need to focus on building your skills. Getting a degree in today’s world is not difficult. At the same time, a college degree will help you understand the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of doing things, but the skills you pick up while doing a job will help you succeed in your career. Your degree may help you get a theoretical understanding of any subject. However, real-life experience will be much more valuable when it comes to doing your job. You can learn certain things only by experience and not by studying about them. For instance, there are specific key skills that you need to develop as a manager to succeed in getting the most out of the people who report to you.
3) On-the-job training is critical in a job
While debating over education vs experience, it is essential to remember that a college degree does not guarantee a high-paying job. It is one’s experience and capabilities that play a vital role in getting any task done. On-the-job training makes it easier for employees to improve their skill sets and efficiency in a particular job role. Formal training programs such as those offered in sales, culinary, and even business are beneficial in picking up vocational skills that are sometimes more valuable than the knowledge people obtain while going for a traditional college degree.
4) Short-term courses are more helpful than a full-fledged degree
While pursuing a college degree, it is possible to feel lost and consider shifting career paths. Doing so may make a student lose time, effort, energy, and money to eventually becoming employable. Today, many institutes and organizations offer short-term courses that help gain the skills and knowledge needed to begin a new career path altogether. A traditional college degree can take up to three or four years. If someone is already working a full-time job, they may find it very tough to take time out and attend college. However, certificate courses and diplomas require a smaller time commitment than a college degree. Many people choose such short courses over a university degree as it meets their objective.
In Summary
In 2021, a college degree is not essential to earn a living and have a challenging career path. What’s more, with the advent of remote learning and vocational training, many students opt out of getting a college degree altogether if they are looking to earn a living eventually.
