At the moment, my opinion of education is extremely jaded. I went to high school and did very well. I went to university and completely bombed. I didn't ever fail any subject, but I did withdraw before I really got into the swing of everything.
Higher education is a bee in my bonnet at the moment. I've been unemployed for the better part of six months, and am disgusted at the number of 'opportunities' that have been suggested to me - mostly places in courses that I don't believe are valuable, that are fully government funded (read: borrow now, pay later) and that have no guarantee of a job at the end, by training organisations and supposed employers.
I believe that for many professions, study is essential. I appreciate that doctors and lawyers and nurses and mechanics and hairdressers need to learn their craft, hone their skills, and perform their daily tasks correctly. There are some professions though, that should value experience over paper-based qualifications. The ability to write an essay, reference materials using the 'Harvard' method, or bludge through a group assignment, has nothing to do with any of the work that I have done over the last 12 years of being employed full time. I've been quite successful and stayed in jobs long term because employers value my work ethic, my nature, and my experience.
Trying to find work is HARD. Pitching yourself with no formal qualification is tough.
Education should not be the main factor, and while it is important in certain situations, I don't place anywhere near as much importance on education as others do. I believe in a well-rounded person - a mixture of education, experience, and ethic.
In a world where 90% of the jobs available in the next 30 years have not even been thought of yet, I wonder if society's view will catch up with my own... or will I just get left behind?
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