Degrees don’t matter anymore, skills do

Well, firstly its a very American centric article - and I have  found  the education level of Americans I have met to be very non-uniform compared to that of Europeans, where you can pretty much guarantee basic maths to O level equiv, some country specific history and a foreign language, and then more or less of the 3 sciences and varying amounts of music and arts. The US in contrast really does seem to produce some people who 'have no math' . Or no knowledge of history and geography... And then from other places, people who are practically polymathic


I think the point about certification vs credentials is overplayed - a degree and or being a good talker may get you your first job, however, unless you cock up badly, your first job gets you your second etc. Certainly in the world I inhabit, experience and subject matter expertise are key, how you acquired that knowledge less so.  For example I do have a PhD, but no one has asked to see the certificate or read the thesis in over 20 years. I do however end up describing a catalogue of previous projects quite often.

It may be that education could be improved. Actually in many cases it is likely. I am less convinced that the authors proposals are optimal to achieve that.

Mike

Well, firstly its a very American centric article - and I have  found  the education level of Americans I have met to be very non-uniform compared to that of Europeans, where you can pretty much guarantee basic maths to O level equiv, some country specific history and a foreign language, and then more or less of the 3 sciences and varying amounts of music and arts. The US in contrast really does seem to produce some people who 'have no math' . Or no knowledge of history and geography... And then from other places, people who are practically polymathic


I think the point about certification vs credentials is overplayed - a degree and or being a good talker may get you your first job, however, unless you cock up badly, your first job gets you your second etc. Certainly in the world I inhabit, experience and subject matter expertise are key, how you acquired that knowledge less so.  For example I do have a PhD, but no one has asked to see the certificate or read the thesis in over 20 years. I do however end up describing a catalogue of previous projects quite often.

It may be that education could be improved. Actually in many cases it is likely. I am less convinced that the authors proposals are optimal to achieve that.

Mike