Work Experience vs. Education

The cost of college education is increasing constantly. This is causing more and more high school graduates to choose between college education and an entry level job. Before taking a decision one needs to think about the following:

Advantages of a College Education

During the greater part of the 20th century, a high school diploma was sufficient to get good employment. Many companies would initiate training programs within school curriculum. More recently with a boom in the job markets more and more companies have withdrawn training services from schools and now expect aspiring candidates to find training on their own. It is also an established fact that a single person changes careers at least 7 times in a lifetime. College education provides the necessary edge that job seekers need in order to compete.

Acquiring the Necessary Training

As more and more specialization is increasingly defining job opportunities, aspirants need to earn associate degrees and bachelor's degrees in particular fields.

Benefits of Work Experience

Not everyone can afford college right after high school. Therefore most people opt for entry level customer service jobs or jobs in retail trade where they receive on the job training. This training prepares them practically for work, which is an invaluable experience that college education fails to provide. The best approach is to gain work experience and then decide which discipline to gain higher education in.

Bringing the Two Together

Keeping in mind the need and the benefits arising from both the approaches, colleges have started providing degree and diploma courses that combine education with work experience. Internships, work study programs, co-operative work placements and apprenticeship are bridging the gap between education and work experience.

Online degrees are making it possible for working adults to gain higher education without having to leave their jobs or homes. This helps them in improving their qualifications and thus become eligible for better pay packages or new jobs.

Evidently the best approach is to marry education with work experience.