Forget the Pursuit of Degrees, Acquire Skills Instead

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The title of this post may sound controversial, but it emphasizes that skills are the best asset in today's market. This is not to say that pursuing degrees is a bad idea, but compared to skills acquisition, I believe skills should be preferred. If pursuing a degree equips you with skills, then it is the best option. One thing that sells these days is skills.

About two months ago, my washing machine broke down, and I booked for the service of an engineer to diagnose the issue and fix it. If left to me, I would have considered replacing it, but since it's a rented apartment and per the agreement, I needed to inform the landlord. There was no way I could have replaced it myself. The diagnosis took less than 30 minutes, and I was charged £75, an amount someone might work for about six hours to earn. This shows how skills are essential and pay better in today's world.

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I also read a story about a problem with an aircraft that several engineers couldn't solve after many hours and days. Another engineer, known for his expertise in airplane engineering, came and diagnosed and fixed the issue in less than 30 minutes. He charged a very high price, and the aircraft company, while making the payment, inquired why just 20 minutes of work could cost so much money, while the previous engineering work didn't cost as much.

He explained that for him to diagnose and fix the problem in 20 minutes meant it had taken him years of studies and research, so the time and years dedicated to research and studies made his services very expensive. This is why experts in different fields are well-paid because investing in skill acquisition takes time and sometimes years.

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After pursuing my degree as a teacher and teaching in higher education, I realized this, and to some extent, I still realized I was lacking some skills that I needed to acquire. The more skills you acquire, the higher your demand becomes. In our world, where skills are our superpower and something that businesses are ready to pay a lot for, it makes sense that we focus on skills and not just certification without skills.

What do you think?

_{All images were sourced from Pixabay}