[ILUG] OT: A university degree is required. Why?

[Andrew Court]

Most people have experienced being in a job and getting orders either
from someone their senior or junior, who has a degree and knows
didly-squat about what they are doing. Possibly because they got
someone who has the soft skills, one acquires by doing a degree but
without the hands-on experience of taking the back off something.

Also, what are degree-holders like at thinking outside the box? I
can't help but think that after being taught for 4 years that a spade
is a spade, that some (or a lot) of them would be less inclined to
question things around them, unless they are that sort of person
already. No offence meant to anyone on the board, as the very nature
of Linux is outside the box.

BTW: My grammar has improved because I wrote this in Word first, and
then copied it into G-mail. A nice new feature would be an integrated
grammar check in G-mail. In case anyone from Google wants a project.



On 5/3/06, Declan Moriarty <junk_mail at iol.ie> wrote:
> On Wed, 2006-05-03 at 12:55 +0100, Colm Buckley wrote:
> > On 1 May 2006, at 23:01, Declan Moriarty wrote:
> >
> > > Leaving Cert --> 4 year Engineering Degree to get the piece of paper
> > > that says I might be able to do what I am already doing.
> >
> > If you believe that this is the only purpose of a degree, you're a
> > bit off target.  A degree, to most employers, is more than the simple
> > qualification in the appropriate area; it also indicates a certain
> > level of discipline, ability to operate in a structured environment,
> > exposure to research techniques and processes, and general ability to
> > get along.  These could well be even more important to the employer
> > than the actual qualification.  This is why I said earlier that any
> > degree (even in a distant discipline) is better than none at all.
>
> I experienced it much like the Commissioned Officers and N.C.Os in an
> army. The Sargent, despite all his knowledge/experience will get his
> orders from the Lieutenant who may be young enough to be his son. You
> only have to look at my CV to see the qualities you mention. But moaning
> about it won't change things. On with life.
> --
>         With Best Regards,
>
>         Declan Moriarty.
>
> --
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