Andrew's Sec 1 Class
The funny thing about Education is that modern day society is so enamoured or in love with the concept of studying or gaining as much paper as a means to 'move up' or achieve higher social status in life that alot of times, when I look at the education landscape in Singapore and in many Asian countries, I wonder whether all those years of studying amount to anything. Don't get me wrong, education or schooling is essential for a young person, but many times, the most successful people in life, as far as seizing opportunites or doing well and living a balanced life do not have degrees or postdoctorate qualifications. This leads me to question :
a) We put in 12 years of schooling, junior, secondary, high school or preuniversity or college and
b) another 4 to 6 years of undergraduate study
c) perhaps another 2 to 3 years of post graduate study
For the most part, we study for exams, we learn things like pythagoras theorems. flood plains, ancient Chinese history, algebraic and quadratic equations, convalent bonds and De Brogli's theory and packet light pulses. We spill all these out for the exams, semester after semester, year after year. We put in days, weeks and months of 'burning the midnight oil' to study for the year end exam.
At the end, we get the coveted paper - the A Level cert, the Degree in Science. And apply for a job.
You get the Job. Now comes the funny part.
How much of these things which you study do you apply to your working life ?
a) addition, subtraction,division, multiplacition perhaps
b) Yes, No, and English stuff to write emails to colleagues and present some reports to the management
c) Understanding balance sheets (if you are an accountant or accounts assistant)
d) Reading and understanding some electrical circuit diagrams (if you are in the technical line)
Everything else is new, we learn about banking, engineering processes, cashbook,MYOB etc. etc. ON THE JOB
So what was the 12 - 16 years we put in so much effort,time, sweat, countless Red Bull drinks and nights inthe University Library to gain the "A"s or "B"s for ???
Do you tell your customer, who is facing a delivery time problem from your principal or supplier "Oh don't worry, I know how to solve this problem, I got 2nd class honours in Engineering". He will probably laugh at your face.
Whats most important is the "school of life", people need to start work early and learn how to
a) interact meaningfully with your coworkers and colleagues for the benefit of your employer
b) meeting objectives and goals set out by company management and presenting them in a manner
which will obtain maximum results for both the company and the person
c) hone in on interpersonal and life skills like good public relations, marketing, selling, adverserial
and strategic planning
Maybe the answer to achieving success in the businessworld is to start working EARLY. Then and only then will the person understand how deals are clinched, objectives met and goals are set and achieved.
It has been noted that the most afraid to lose or kiasu people are those who have studied for the longest time, its like they have this mentality, "oh, I put in 12 years of my time and my parents 'money on computer science studies , I need to look for a job in the computer industry, at least I have a job". It may be a lousy paying job in a sunset industry but he doesn't see it.
The risk takers are those who have nothing to lose, so they will try almost anything.
There is a famous quotation that bears repeating, "I have learnt whatever I need to learn in kindergarten, how to stick together and share our food, how to avoid the bullys, to clean my plate after my meal and never ever forget to say "thank you".
