Education vs. Experience
In order to work in several areas in the career college sector, regulatory agencies may require a specific degree or specific years of experience or both. Which do you find most valuable and why?
I believe that it is hard to determine which is more important. You want your faculty to have appropriate education and credentials, but it is also invaluable to have a faculty member give real life experience to the students, in the classroom. Students thrive on this real world experience. This is what makes us who we are.
Linda,
Great response! Traditional colleges and universities approach education from a theoretical point of view. Whereas the career college sector provides a more realistic approach rich in application. Balancing the credentials against experience is a delicate balance that needs to be accomplished in order to provide the students with an enriched education.
Cindy Bryant
I believe Experience is far more important than degrees. However, having the educational background provides and baseline.
Lindy,
Thank you for sharing your viewpoint. How were you able to arrive at your response?
Cindy Bryant
An appropriate amount of education is important, but I find that years of experience is more valuable. So many people today are working in an industry for which they were not specifically trained. Experience, for me, goes a long way. A person with the appropriate level of education can learn the skills required to work in the career college sector.
Kyle,
Students attending a career college have an expectation to benefit from the instructors experience. Yes, formal education is important and provides the instructor with additional information to aid their real life experiences.
Cindy Bryant
I believe that education is extremely valuable; but I also believe that experience is important as well. A degree ensures that an individual has attained theoretical knowlege and a base of information from which to draw. However, experience provides opportunities to learn "under fire." Experience provides opportunities to learn that not everything is by the book or has a "text-book" outcome, and that there are some gray areas where judgement and experience come in handy.
It is difficult to choose which is most valuable because it appears that in most cases a degree is necessary to acquire experience. So in that regard, I would say a specific degree would be most valuable. On the other hand, experience is said to be the best teacher.
I believe that both are really valuable, it is really hard to determine which one is the most valuable, the regulatory agencies require them for the best interest of student and institutions
Manuel,
An instructor who has been formally educated in their field compounded with year's of experience has the ability to to be a great instructor who understands what a student will need to know to be successful.
Cindy Bryant
I agree with Linda....While a degree certainly enhances ones credentials...real world experience is what resonates in the "hands on" classroom where in career colleges, skills rule. I do believe both are needed but having those certifications is a big asset in our setting and for the education and career the students wish to obtain.
This one seems like a toss up but the reality is a specific degree is more valuable. We have had several students who have a large amount of experience in a field but are unable to move up into higher positions without a degree - in fact they could get passed on by others with less experience and a degree. Since it is our goal to make people career ready, it is more valuable for them in the job market now to have a degree since it is a prequesite for many jobs. Of course if we can get experience for them while they are in school, i.e. internships, that would be ideal.
Linda,
In today's market place we are seeing a great need for technical skills and this is where the career colleges shine. staying on top of these skills along with licenses and certifications is the best advice we can give students in the classroom.
Cindy Bryant
Juan,
The technical experience students gain is a great way for them to get their foot in the door for an entry level position. Continuing their education is the key to being upwardly mobile in their career.
Cindy Bryant
I believe they are both very important, but I feel experience is more valuable as it gives the person real life experiences to draw from.
Both would be good, but not realistic. Years of experience and on the job training is more valuable to me than the college.
Our career college requires that all of our instructors have a minimum experience level. I feel that this is necessary because it allows them to relate their experiences to the students and they have a better understanding of the requirements and challenges of the profession the students have chosen.
