Collecting Qualifications

I firmly believe that our generation will become one of the most educated in recent history.

As people finish their under-graduate degrees they face an inhospitable working environment. Whether justified or not, employers are less likely to take chances and strive to cut costs on the labour front. The prospect of trying to earn a living in this atmosphere is truly terrifying to many students and they are increasingly choosing to take further studies. Applications for MA programmes will grow exponentially as a result.

But is this a positive trend? While padding a C.V. with qualifications is of course a good thing it comes at the expense of real experience. Businesses will naturally look to minimise the risks inherent in employing applicants. Experience in a field allows an employer to accurately assess these risks. This is certainly different than the generally abstract skills and theoretical knowledge we gain at college. In short, while qualifications are essential it is the ability of a person to apply this knowledge to everyday life that gives value to an employee.

However, these negative effects are only temporary. The current "economic climate" is a transient situation that is already recovering in many places. When we all survive this situation our qualifications will very quickly become experience. This will benefit us both individually and collectively as a high-end labour force will place us at the fore of the increasingly lucrative research and technology industry. Ultimately, this temporary set back will have a positive effect on every aspect of our lives.

We may just be collecting qualifications now, but soon these qualifications will mark us as one of the most educated work forces this country has ever seen.

-The English Student