by Brett Hofmeister

Created on: February 20, 2009

Having a degree is great but what should matter is whether a person can do the things that are required to get the job done. Who decided that going to school qualifies a person for their chosen career? From my experience in researching my future career, most of the knowledge required to do the job is learned through experience; experience of such great value that no amount of schooling can even attempt to equal it.

I am currently in college jumping through all the right hoops to get to where I want to be. I want to teach music at the high school level but I need a bachelor's degree in music and a teaching certificate. I know I don't know everything but I feel like I could do the job right now. I am not qualified because I don't have the right papers in my hand. I feel that it is ridiculous that I have to go through a five year program to get to my career. Five years of tuition, books, fees, and other expenses to enter into one of the lowest paying careers there is seems a little unfair to me. I have learned a lot during my time in college but very little that actually applies to teaching music.

If the requirements for the bachelor's degree and teaching certificate were trimmed down to what actually applies to my career or if all the teachers were former successful music teachers, I wouldn't have a problem with going to school before I can work in my field of choice but that isn't the case. There is a lot of unnecessary drilling of useless knowledge that a person has to go through to get a college degree. I understand why people who have a degree feel like they deserve to be handed their dream job on a silver platter but what it comes down to isn't how much education someone has. What really matters is what a person can do.

I know it isn't the best example but take Frank W. Abagnale Jr. as one. If you have seen the Tom Hanks/Leonardo DiCaprio movie "Catch Me If You Can" you know the basics of the story. Frank W. Abagnale Jr. was one of the greatest con men of all time. He made and cashed thousands of counterfeit checks and successfully posed as an airline pilot, doctor, and lawyer with no formal education beyond tenth grade in high school. Even when he was caught he got a job with the FBI's check fraud department because he had a lot of experience in the field.

All that should matter is what a person can do and how well they can do it. Some people might need to go through college to gain the experiences they need to be successful in their career while others have enough natural ability to jump right in. It is only fair to look at experience, ability to do the job, and determination before formal schooling records when considering applicants for any job.

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