It seems to be part of the old approach to getting the job you want, you go through education, you get an entry-level position in the industry, and you work your way up. But now, we see so many people being self-made, or even foregoing the traditional educational routes to climb up the career ladder. This begs the question, does getting education actually help us with the career transition, or does it inhibit it? Let’s try and answer the question.

The Typical College Approach

First things first, it appears that regardless of your choice of degree, it may not actually have a bearing in the career you end up doing. A survey conducted by CV-Library in 2016 discovered that out of 1300 workers in the UK, 52.8% do not use skills learnt from their degree in what they do. But does college teach you the skills that benefit you in life, not just in careers in general? It has to be said that college is one of those rites of passage that can get you friends for life, but not necessarily provide you with the relevant knowledge to start your chosen career. And a lot of people may use college as an excuse to laze around for a few years, but while there are resources that can help do an essay for you, or even provide stable guidance along the traditional college route, it seems that it’s not the solution for those who want to knuckle down and work hard. So do these people need to just start in industry, rather than getting an education?

Should You Avoid Education?

If you are to avoid doing a degree, while you may not have the necessary credentials on paper, you will have gained an invaluable education in life skills. A lot of people feel that degrees are pointless now, especially in relation to the statistic the people don’t use the degree they studied for in their long-term career. So if you have a career in mind, you don’t have to go to college to even get the skills now. There are various online courses that can give you the basics, and it’s still all about who you know, not what you know. The creative sector is a very good example, because there are people who took degrees in business, and found themselves very successful in running theater companies, acting, and so forth. Granted, this is just one industry, but it shows that if you really want to work hard at something, you don’t have to go to college to get the required piece of paper. It seems that now, a degree is just a way in for many, and so, it’s irrelevant on the subject you choose. Many employees require you to have a degree in a relevant subject, but if you’re applying for a role where you can argue that your degree in Italian will help you in marketing, then surely every degree is useful?

Ultimately, a college degree is simply a way to get your foot in the door. But while many industries require some form of education, it appears that it doesn’t matter what type of degree you have, as long as you have this piece of paper.