I will start by asking, can experience (with no educational background) make up for a lack of degree, or does a degree provide something that experience cannot? Is one more valuable than the other? Here lies the argument.

I will say the two argument depends on the spectrum you are viewing ir or rather the side of the fence you are sitting, this issue can be personal and most times emotional.

VIEW POINTS

I have seen people with many years of applicable work experience but no degree, and i have also seen multiple candidate's with degree but with no single work experience. Which of the two is now moew valuable to a coy?

To buttress my point, in a certain year there was an heavy shake up in a certain financial institution in lagos affecting a lot of experienced employer. What led to the shake up? Many of their senior staffs were moving closer to their retirement stage, and the bank knew the situation of the economy then was not conducive for a payoff, they strategized and came up with the idea of hiring a consultant to carry out a thorough investigation on all their experienced staffs. The investigation carried out reveals that many of their experienced staffs had no degree but a forged certificate. However, many of this staffs are the core strength of that financial institution with position ranging from risk, strategics and planning, procurement etc. Now the question? If those staffs with no traceable degree could hold sensitive position for that duration, of what benefit is a degree or paper qualification to performance?

Do you know that the founder of leadway insurance started with no degree (i stand corrected)? Do you know that FCMB started in same manner? The founder of a famous indiginous construction company in Lagos started with no degree (name withheld) and the coy is still waxing strong after over 20years. If that founder (with no degree but experience) applied for a job position in either Julius Berger, G-Kappa, D'Alberto etc will he qualify or be employeable? However, the question is followed by endless responses debating the issue. Obviously, there are specific cases where the question is mute.

TRUTH

Regardless of personal preference, what quality does a degree holder possess that an experience person(with no degree) does not have. Our employers will say -

1. A proven ability to analyze problem, conduct research and produce solutions
2. A proven ability to learn complex, difficult subject matter
3. Proof of intelligence
4. Better interpersonal skills
5. More credible qualifications

BUT I DISAGREE

Can we conclude that a person with experience does not possess all that? Are those with degree consistent with all those requirements? This is my root frustration with employers with a defined job requirements and how they will continue to miss out on a large pool of experience candidate's with no degree.

CONCLUSIONS

If you think a degree holder is better than a person with experience but no degree, then i say, bring a PhD holder in mechanical engineer (if any) and a road side mechanics for a presentation. The PhD holder may prevail with 'Smart terms and Linguistics' but the road side mechanic will thrill the audience with 'practical methodologies'.

I couldn't agree less with you, especially your conclusion. We place emphasis on paper qualification rather than hands on experience.

what's the fuse with FTC?? Anyway FTC for today.

kinibigdeal:
I will start by asking, can experience (with no educational background) make up for a lack of degree, or does a degree provide something that experience cannot? Is one more valuable than the other? Here lies the argument.

I will say the two argument depends on the spectrum you are viewing ir or rather the side of the fence you are sitting, this issue can be personal and most times emotional.

VIEW POINTS

I have seen people with many years of applicable work experience but no degree, and i have also seen multiple candidate's with degree but with no single work experience. Which of the two is now moew valuable to a coy?

To buttress my point, in a certain year there was an heavy shake up in a certain financial institution in lagos affecting a lot of experienced employer. What led to the shake up? Many of their senior staffs were moving closer to their retirement stage, and the bank knew the situation of the economy then was not conducive for a payoff, they strategized and came up with the idea of hiring a consultant to carry out a thorough investigation on all their experienced staffs. The investigation carried out reveals that many of their experienced staffs had no degree but a forged certificate. However, many of this staffs are the core strength of that financial institution with position ranging from risk, strategics and planning, procurement etc. Now the question? If those staffs with no traceable degree could hold sensitive position for that duration, of what benefit is a degree or paper qualification to performance?

Do you know that the founder of leadway insurance started with no degree (i stand corrected)? Do you know that FCMB started in same manner? The founder of a famous indiginous construction company in Lagos started with no degree (name withheld) and the coy is still waxing strong after over 20years. If that founder (with no degree but experience) applied for a job position in either Julius Berger, G-Kappa, D'Alberto etc will he qualify or be employeable? However, the question is followed by endless responses debating the issue. Obviously, there are specific cases where the question is mute.

TRUTH

Regardless of personal preference, what quality does a degree holder possess that an experience person(with no degree) does not have. Our employers will say -

1. A proven ability to analyze problem, conduct research and produce solutions
2. A proven ability to learn complex, difficult subject matter
3. Proof of intelligence
4. Better interpersonal skills
5. More credible qualifications

BUT I DISAGREE

Can we conclude that a person with experience does not possess all that? Are those with degree consistent with all those requirements? This is my root frustration with employers with a defined job requirements and how they will continue to miss out on a large pool of experience candidate's with no degree.

CONCLUSIONS

If you think a degree holder is better than a person with experience but no degree, then i say, bring a PhD holder in mechanical engineer (if any) and a road side mechanics for a presentation. The PhD holder may prevail with 'Smart terms and Linguistics' but the road side mechanic will thrill the audience with 'practical methodologies'.

I couldn't agree more. Hiring manage u hav 4 types of candidate's to choose from.
1)The employee wit job skills training but few experience.
2)Employees wit tons of experience and NO DEGREE.
3)Employee wit minimal experience but hav intermediate education
4)Employee wit the theory experience and degree
Four- years degree shouldn't not be the only path to a good job said HILLARY CLINTON.

If u just want to think about money, education doz't pay the bills,but the jobs you well get when u are educated pay's more bills.

Your argument is very narrow-minded.

I totally disagree that 'experience' should be prioritized over degree. Going by your analogy about mechanical engineer with PhD and road side mechanic, the two can't be compared for any reason. The job of a roadside mechanic is to loose and change faulty parts of a car, while a mechanical engineer is trained to design and assemble cars and other machines from scratch. Most mechanical engineers can do the work of the roadside mechanic if they want to,the thing is that many of them consider it demeaning due to the way the job is done here in Nigeria.

Nigerians have the problem of poor reasoning and that is why somebody will come up with a biased opinion such as this post and the many will just swallow it hook, line and sinker without finding out the fact.

Before i went to pharmacy school, i used to hear some people say that the patent medicine vendors know drugs more than pharmacists. However, before going to pharm school, i sold drugs and so i know that the drug dealers know nothing about drugs. NOTHING!

Those guys only do trial and error with peoples' lives and many times they end up complicating issues for patients and even sending people to early graves.

I wish Nigerians would start reasoning properly. The country would be alot better.

Kinibigdeal you are high...Your degree as well as experience are both important! Some jobs require more of intellectual skills than experience. Truth is if you are intellectually sound, you can project ideas even without having the experience. A person with experience and no intellect can also be sound based on what he/she have encountered.

In my university days the DE students seemed to be smartest as at 200L because they had already been taught and also exposed via IT. But from 300L (2nd semester) upwards we started learning new things...believe me their prior experience was wash even on praticals..we dusted them till 500L

A good degree is good as well as experience. But I will choose degree...because if you have a good degree that means you can learn and experience is simply exposure

If you own a profit oriented firm, and there is an urgent vacancy for a sensitive position, will you go for a person with a degree (but no experience) or a person with huge experience but no degree?

CuteMorriz:
Kinibigdeal you are high...Your degree as well as experience are both important! Some jobs require more of intellectual skills than experience. Truth is if you are intellectually sound, you can project ideas even without having the experience. A person with experience and no intellect can also be sound based on what he/she have encountered.

In my university days the DE students seemed to be smartest as at 200L because they had already been taught and also exposed via IT. But from 300L (2nd semester) upwards we started learning new things...believe me their prior experience was wash even on praticals..we dusted them till 500L

A good degree is good as well as experience. But I will choose degree...because if you have a good degree that means you can learn and experience is simply exposure

Can we have a counter-argument?

sholay2011:
Your argument is very narrow-minded.

How many mechanical engineer graduate in nigeria today can successfully assemble or fixed a simple fault in a car? If a mechanical engineer degree holder cannot fix a simple fault in a car, i think such fellow should be sent back to technical colleges for training. Have you ever wondered how a man with PhD in mechanics will be visiting a roadside mechanic at the slightest fault? Do you mean all they know is to assemble?

Jman06:
I totally disagree that 'experience' should be prioritized over degree. Going by your analogy about mechanical engineer with PhD and road side mechanic, the two can't be compared for any reason. The job of a roadside mechanic is to loose and change faulty parts of a car, while a mechanical engineer is trained to design and assemble cars and other machines from scratch. Most mechanical engineers can do the work of the roadside mechanic if they want to,the thing is that many of them consider it demeaning due to the way the job is done here in Nigeria.

Nigerians have the problem of poor reasoning and that is why somebody will come up with a biased opinion such as this post and the many will just swallow it hook, line and sinker without finding out the fact.

Before i went to pharmacy school, i used to hear some people say that the patent medicine vendors know drugs more than pharmacists. However, before going to pharm school, i sold drugs and so i know that the drug dealers know nothing about drugs. NOTHING!

Not in Nigeria

American companies value experience more than degree. But when you don't have degree, there's a level you may not get to.


French companies value degree more than experience.

Nigerian Employers and Paper Qualifications are...

I prefer experience over degree.

veekid:
Not in Nigeria

100% right not never in Nigeria

lonelydora:
American companies value experience more than degree. But when you don't have degree, there's a level you may not get to.


French companies value degree more than experience.

I don't know about the 2 countries you mention but here in UK. They value experience over degree

didn't read this

If you think a degree holder is better than a person with experience but no degree, then i say, bring a PhD holder in mechanical engineer (if any) and a road side mechanics for a presentation. The PhD holder may prevail with 'Smart terms and Linguistics' but the road side mechanic will thrill the audience with 'practical methodologies'.

I disagree with this. A mechanic only say "I have been doing it like this for years". He does not understand why he's doing it like that. I was the one that explained 'check engine' light and O2 sensor code to a friend's mechanics and many others. I told him how it works and why it normally comes up.

You should probably add "in Nigeria" to your topic, as it wont apply to the developed countries. Only in Nigeria can a Mechanical PHD holder do that not in the western world. An undergraduate in the western world will fix ur car talk-less of a Bsc holder.
Also note that the world view is different from what u view as mechanical engineering. In today's world a Mechanical engineer have option of specialization in the same field not necessarily dealing with cars, it could be oil field or robotic or industrial mechanics.

They said we should go to sch so as not to be termed illiterates with skill, now they saying we should acquire skills & experience without degree again. I tire for una o

kinibigdeal:
How many mechanical engineer graduate in nigeria today can successfully assemble or fixed a simple fault in a car? If a mechanical engineer degree holder cannot fix a simple fault in a car, i think such fellow should be sent back to technical colleges for training. Have you ever wondered how a man with PhD in mechanics will be visiting a roadside mechanic at the slightest fault? Do you mean all they know is to assemble?

hope you ain't one of those that's ignorant of how wide mechanical engineering is? you think its only about cars?

The problem we have in this country is too much degree holders and we all have nothing to show for it,
Technically it's the none degree holder that benefit. Reason is after our degree education we end up being payed as if our education is worthless.
Considering other countries even in Africa.

I agree with your post in United kingdom they value appreciate experience over degree and you can get to the top with in house training and professional courses based on area of your job. As a degree holder here itbis advisable to get experience by doing voluntary job to get the work experience into your cv

if only Nigeria could

kinibigdeal:


CONCLUSIONS

If you think a degree holder is better than a person with experience but no degree, then i say, bring a PhD holder in mechanical engineer (if any) and a road side mechanics for a presentation. The PhD holder may prevail with 'Smart terms and Linguistics' but the road side mechanic will thrill the audience with 'practical methodologies'.

Wow.

I wonder how you came about such a disgraceful and scandalous conclusion. There is no where in the world where uneducated but practical experience prevailed over education.

hmm a degree in Nigeria ?


learning from 1970 curriculums ?


you would be better off selling electronics

spending years only to come out and scatter dust. cause what they teach cannot change your life but instead program you for a robotic job, which is even lacking in Nigeria

sonofthunder:

hope you ain't one of those that's ignorant of how wide mechanical engineering is? you think its only about cars?

It's not about cars, but do we have professionals from that field, were do most engineers end up or wish to end up? Oil serving field.
Why I say that is a problem is this whatever contribution you make in that field goes to the owners of the firm.

Less I forget virtually all the engineers employed in ma coy can't tell the difference in spanner/screwdriver sizes, that gets me thinking what do they really study at the university

kinibigdeal:
How many mechanical engineer graduate in nigeria today can successfully assemble or fixed a simple fault in a car? If a mechanical engineer degree holder cannot fix a simple fault in a car, i think such fellow should be sent back to technical colleges for training. Have you ever wondered how a man with PhD in mechanics will be visiting a roadside mechanic at the slightest fault? Do you mean all they know is to assemble?

This is

kinibigdeal:
How many mechanical engineer graduate in nigeria today can successfully assemble or fixed a simple fault in a car? If a mechanical engineer degree holder cannot fix a simple fault in a car, i think such fellow should be sent back to technical colleges for training. Have you ever wondered how a man with PhD in mechanics will be visiting a roadside mechanic at the slightest fault? Do you mean all they know is to assemble?

This is

This is

Such a shame most expatriate managers in this country are not degree holders, but he boss PHD holders here in Nigeria.

Good