Steve Lamb sent the following letter (response sent from mail@cartalk.com).

While I don't have a specific thought on what an education is, what an education should provide a person or how we should educate a person, I do have one major gripe with the education system as it relates to the job market. Let me preface this with the fact that I am not belittling people with degrees. They have gone through quite a bit to get that degree and they deserve it. It is something that I have not been able to bring myself to do and doubt that I ever will.

I live in California and would love to break into the technology field. However, since California has a huge surplus of manpower in the technology field, the requirements to get a decent-paying job are quite steep. Two- or four-year degrees, 1-2 years of experience for a job which I am more than capable of handling based on my 14+ years in using computers and telecommunications as a hobby.

To get the degree that the people in the "Human Resources Department" think I need, I must not only take classes which relate to computers and technology in general, but in topics which have no bearing or usefulness in the technology field. Biology comes to mind.

Now, I do agree that the education system should prepare youths with the same basic understanding in many different fields of study. Yes, even biology. However, I do not think that college is the place to pursue such a basic education. That is what elementary, middle and high school are for. My reasoning is simple...

I need the degree to prove that I have knowledge and understanding of the field I want to specialize in. To get the degree I need to take courses. To take courses I must first pay for those courses. In short, I don't get my degree unless I pay the people who run the colleges and universities to teach me something I do not need to know in my chosen field of study.

To me, that is similar to ransom.

I just want to reiterate that I am not belittling people who have degrees nor am I advocating that people should get only half an education, just that when one starts paying for one's education, one should only pay for the parts they need or want. Anyway, thanks for your time. I hope you at least understand where I am coming from. If you get use from it, all the better.

Back to Tommy's Education Forum Part II

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