Imagine dedicating years to earning a prestigious engineering degree, yet when your car breaks down, you turn to a skilled mechanic who may not boast the same academic background as you. In some cases, they may not even have formal education, but in such moments, their practical skills are often the first ones we rely on. This shows us how practical skills can triumph over academic credentials.
This is what happens when theoritical education takes precedence over practical education. I remember how back in school, some of us used to fun of those learning courses like Music, Visual Arts, Home Economics or even playing for the school football team. Those were the students we thought were not academically good. Back then we didn't fully appreciate the value of those courses but today they are some of the skills that are in high demand and well-paid.
Today's world has paved the way for such people significantly because we live in a world where problems and needs abound, requiring practical solutions. In today's world of many services, gaining a degree, diploma, or any kind of certification doesn't carry much weight unless you have developed a skill for that qualification. I think just knowing about a recipe wouldn't carry more weight than having the art of turning those recipes into a delicious meal or an effective medicine that people are willing to pay much for.
Formal education is indeed important, but I would prefer that which equips you with practical skills, as skills are the new currency in today's world. It's not just about what you learned in a classroom, but what you can actually do with that knowledge; that's the requirement for the job market these days.
I have been to several interviews, and the question of what I can do or what qualifies me for the job position has always been asked. This is where interviewers or hiring managers would like to know about your skills for the job. Skills, I would say are our superpowers, they make us stand out and they stick with us for life.
Throughout my years of schooling, I have learned so much, but today I can barely remember all the things I learned, but I haven't forgotten the art of teaching that I learned through practical experiences in various schools. Today I'm not teaching, but then I have been able to use the same skills in different contexts, like in church, wedding events, parties, and conferences.
I'm still learning each day to acquire new and hone existing skills that I have. It's not difficult learning a skill these days in our world of the internet and social media. People even provide online courses and training for free. The job market now is changing, and each day new technologies and services are evolving, requiring expertise.
It's either you develop a skill, upgrade an existing one, or you get left behind. I knew about a guy who used to repair traditional cathode-ray tube TVs many years ago in Ghana. Lots of people used to send faulty TVs for repairs, and he had a good business going then. Today he's out of the system due to the advent of Smart TVs, which he never learned about as they evolved.
Here's the bottom line: acquiring knowledge shouldn't just be learning facts, but should be understanding and applying knowledge to develop practical skills. In this fast-paced world, skills are the real key to unlocking your career potential and leading to many benefits. It's about getting curious, constantly seeking learning.
I think practical experience will always trump theoretical knowledge, the best way to really learn something is to practice it in the real world instead of just reading about it. Skills are definitely a key tool that unlocks many new possibilities for us in the modern world, we either evolve and adopt, or get left behind :)
Exactly the point, skills are indeed the power to unlock many new possibilities
These days a certificate without a skill is really nothing, you need both. High unemployment rate, without a skill what does one fall back to?
Certificate is important as skill but certificate without a skill I think makes it worthless. Many students only have the academic credentials but lack the knowledge and the skills to qualify for many job opportunities these days or to even start a business. This is because most curriculum are not practical based. One may acquire just the knowledge and be limited in terms practical skills