The pros and cons of working before

college
Bhupendra Sharma posted on 20th December 201613
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As soon as high-school ends, students start hunting for various courses that can
take them closer to their dreams. Some take courses that interest them while others
opt for those which give them a chance to stay with their friends. It's only at the end
of their chosen course that they realise whether it paid off!

Working before college is another useful option that gives one a chance to find their
calling. While it is a popular choice, with more than a fair chair of advantages, it is
not without its cons.

Pros

It gives you financial independence: Who doesn't want to have financial freedom?
After all, that's one of the main reasons students attend colleges. When you work
before joining college, you get paid a salary at the end of every month. Making this
amount of money is tough when you're in college for practically the entire day.

It offers practical knowledge: If you always wanted to do something creative, then

you can get a job which allows you to do this. There are many internships available
for freshers in the fields of graphic designing, creative writing, filmmaking, video
editing, photography, etc. This is the best chance to gain practical knowledge about
the field you want to make a career in.

It gives you a chance to re-invent yourself: There is no guarantee that what you think
is the right course for you will actually make you happy in the long run. One’s
teenage years are filled with wonderful fantasies minus practical knowledge. Working
before college gives you the opportunity to experiment with jobs and figure out what
excites you the most. Your experiences will help you decide which course will benefit
you in the long run and which won’t.

Cons
Your friends get ahead of you: It may be tough for you to see your friends getting
ahead in their education life while you're still figuring out which job to take up. It's one
of the side-effects of working before joining college and can fill your mind with
negativity if you're not clear about what you want from life.

Getting detached from studies: Working before college can come with unexpected
perks and benefits. This can detach you from studies and prompt you to concentrate
on work. While there are many drop-out billionaires who made it large, it helps to
play safe and obtain a college degree as a backup in case your current job (or
business idea) doesn't work out.

In the end, there's nobody other than you who can decide what's better for you –
working before joining a college or securing a college degree and then starting a
career. In any case, don't jump ship without giving serious thought to your decision.
After all, decisions shape your destiny

Pros And Cons: Working Or Going Back

To College
May 15, 2017 by Lindsay Racen
Print Article

The decision to go back to school at any level or age entails a lot of debate. After all,
it is a life changing situation that requires investing significant time and resources. To
get started on your own reflection consider some of these pros and cons to include in
your analysis of determining what's best for you - working or going back to college.

Working Fulltime
Many seasoned professionals who do not have their bachelor's degree likely began
working straight out of high school and found that income outweighed the study time.
Brandman University's 2014 Southern California commencement speaker Gordon
Winn understands this perspective wholeheartedly. There are clear benefits to
staying the course and committing to an established career path. Let's take a look at
some pros and cons that go into revisiting the options later in life.

Consistency
 Pro - There's nothing inherently wrong with the phrase "if it ain't broke don't fix
it." Those with long standing careers worked hard to get where they are, they
are successful and have steady jobs that they hopefully enjoy. All that sounds
pretty good and often they have the benefits of attaining some level of
 seniority and plenty of vacation time, giving them the freedom to take off for a
few long weekends here and there. Consider where you are in this scenario
and determine how important it is in your life.

 Con - The word "consistent" has many different synonyms including

expected, invariable, homogeneous, uniform and unchanging. Sometimes
consistency can be a great thing and may provide a person a sense of
security, but other times it may start to become a little boring. Think about
what kind of mental stimulation your job gives you and decide if you are burnt
out at work or happy with the expected routine.

Investment Portfolio
 Pro - One of the first things that comes to mind when going back and forth on
the situation is the price tag. Without school tuition, you can invest any
variable profits into other experiences or capital like family trips, a new car,
the stock market and more. You are not tied down to loan repayment and
escape running the risk of being included as part of the $1.1 trillion bucket of
outstanding student debt that plagues the American economy.

 Con - On the flip side the standing argument that there is no better way to
invest in your future than to gain a quality education. The consistency and job
security may be there now, but just like those investments on Wall Street,
there can be fluctuations in workforce trends. Revisiting the story of alumnus
Gordon Winn, he experienced this first hand when he was laid off during the
great recession and employers wanted to see candidates with bachelor's
degrees. Your education is a resume booster and often
provides more security than you may think.

Professional Expertise
 Pro - Establishing a recognized history and accumulating substantial
experience within a company can have highly regarded benefits. Although you
may not have a degree, you have likely gained respect as an expert in the
field and have stacked up some valuable relational power. You understand
the complex dynamics of the workplace and have built equity with top level
leadership that those starting out or switching jobs don't have.

 Con - Similar to the stock market model, qualifications for jobs may change. A
company that fosters a culture of support and creates a positive learning
community for its employees may provide internal training options to facilitate
professional development, but not all organizations are so proactive.
Expertise may mean a lot, but it also has the potential of only taking you part
of the way to where you want to be. Having a degree can open a lot of doors
when it comes to advancement while enhancing your resume for potential
 ffers a wide variety of
future endeavors.

certificate programs, both for

academic crediGoing Back To College
Now that we have taken some time to touch on some pros and cons for working
fulltime and not returning to school, let's explore some for the opposite end of the
spectrum. This comes from the perspectives of those who indeed have well
established careers but are thinking of switching from being a full time professional
to a full time student.

Salary Potential
 Pro - One of the primary reasons people decide to return to school is to
accumulate more earnings in the future. That's why many people call
education an "investment" and evaluate the return they will receive from
undergoing the journey. Collegetransfer.net encourages student to do the
math, “If it costs $100K to finish your degree over two or more years and you
could earn $1M over the next twenty years with the college degree behind
you, that would result in having $50K to your W2 per year on average.”

 Con - The financial long-term benefits are written everywhere, but when you
are in that decision making mode it's easy to estimate the short-term
drawbacks. Going back to college means regular tuition payments that your
bank account is not used to. Schools with strong student support services
have representatives that can help you understand the costs associated with
education, but you'll want to carefully analyze how those play into your
personal financial planning process and overall goals.

Direct Application
 Pro - When going back to school, selecting a degree that aligns with your
personal and professional goals is important. According
to YouCanDealWithIt.com, a resource that provides practical easy-to-
understand advice on common financial situations, “Nontraditional students
often choose a major related to their career (54% vs 31% for traditional
students), especially if they are seeking career advancement.” Think about
this relationship because when leveraged effectively can greatly increase your
knowledge, skills and abilities that employers demand of their candidates.

 Con - Revisiting the short-term impacts of schooling, although full-time

students are able to focus more intently on their studies, they don't have the
luxury of turning around and applying what they learned to a work setting.
One sign of a great school is that it has practice-based curriculum that
integrates real-world examples and exercises to help students experience
 how they can use their education in the office. If you take the route of only
taking classes, you may want to consider finding some way to stimulate your
studies with practical exercises outside of the classroom.

Networking Opportunities
 Pro - Working, especially in a job that requires consistent community
outreach, lends itself to networking on a daily basis, but can also be limiting at
times. Collaborating with your peers in classes can help you expand your
network and connect with professionals inside and outside of your industry.
Not only can you foster strong relationships but many of them may even open
up new opportunities to re-energize or jump start your future career after
graduation. Also think about the importance of connecting with your alumni
community which can provide even more networking options

 Con - There have been many technological changes in the way students
communicate and interact with one another in the past twenty years.
Depending on your comfort level with the latest online networking tools,
maintaining those connections may take some additional efforts in the online
environment. You may want to familiarize yourself with the university's
LinkedIn, Facebook, Google Plus pages and more to help you navigate
through the nuances of relationship management in the digital age.

What Now?
These are just a few different factors to consider when making your own pro and con
list of working or going back to college. Take the time to write down all of the
positives and negatives then weigh each factor by level of importance. As an
alternative to the either/or scenarios presented in this article, you may even want to
consider some sort of hybrid of accomplishing both work and education at the same
time.
For example, Brandman University, a private nonprofit school, offers over 50
undergraduate and graduate programs in different modern day learning formats. Its
on-campus classes offer a "blended" experience that combines face-to-face
instruction with online collaborative assignments that give working professionals the
flexibility to fit course work into their busy schedules. If you decide to go back to
school, find modality that is right for you, and no matter what path you choose best of
luck creating the future you envision

With the announcement of the exam results tomorrow, SPM school-leavers now have to face the
daunting task of taking the next step in terms of furthering their education.
After a structured school system where students generally pursued either the science or arts
stream, how best can they decide on the field of study and programme? The decision is not a
light one as it is the first step towards determining the path their future will take.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
Professional career coach Nik Faiz Iskandar Nik Zahari said students in the country tend to view
higher education as a mere paper chase.
“Most students here regard institutions of higher learning as a means to gain a diploma or degree
qualification that they can boast about. This mindset has to change. School-leavers and aspiring
undergraduates have to plan their future careers before deciding on the course that they want to
pursue,” he said.
Professional trainer and motivator Jackson Ng said SPM school-leavers should not be pressured
by their peers to apply for a particular course or succumb to their parents’ demands. Instead,
they should look to themselves for indicators of their interest, talents and inclination.
“Identify your passion. Look at your innate abilities — the talent you are born with. Pay attention
to the compliments others give you with regards to what you are good at.
“And listen to the voice inside of you, what you are keen on. These are indicators of the field of
study you should pursue. Of course, these have to be mapped against the current and future job
market,” he said.
Ng cautioned that oftentimes when students base their decision on friends or are pushed by their
parents, they end up switching courses halfway, resulting in loss of money and time. Or if the
student does graduate and earn a diploma or degree, he finds himself unable to find employment
as he has no passion for the field.
Deciding on studies after Form Five can be stressful if one does not have knowledge of the
career decision-making process, said HELP University lecturer and counsellor Justin Yap.
“Ideally, one should have knowledge about both oneself and the world of work. Self-knowledge in
the areas of interests, aptitudes and skills, personality, as well as values is essential.
“Secondly, it is vital to have some knowledge about the workplace such as a basic job
description, office environment and requirements such as skills and education.
“When we have both these sets of information, we are then able to match who we are and what
the job requires, providing a person-environment fit which results in a high performing and
satisfied worker. Even though a student may only be concerned about a field of study or a major,
it’s always best to take a long-term view as one only spends three to eight years at university but
close to 30 years in the workplace,” he said.
SCIENCE VERSUS ARTS
Both science and arts secondary school-leavers have a variety of fields to choose from at higher
learning institutions.
It is a misconception that arts students have second class options as they can have their pick of
programmes such as social science, humanities, education (special, sports, language, music,
early child, etc), business, communications, art (graphic media, animation, etc), hospitality and
human resources.
“Students just need to choose the course that matches their personality and interests,” said
Mastura.
Both arts and science stream students need to free themselves from the “box” they were put in at
school, Ng added.
“Conventional wisdom has it that those in the science stream are destined to be professionals
while those in the arts stream go into business. This is not true — science students can do well in
fields such as psychology, for example.
“Although an arts background may seem like a lesser choice and an unfair starting point, the
reality is that many professionals with science background work for businesses or corporations,
or for entrepreneurs from the arts stream,” said Ng, adding that every industry is a business and
there is equal opportunity to succeed.
“Anyway, what we study is not a worry as there is a tendency for a person to do something else
every five years. Life is all about progress. Lifelong learning is key.”
Yap commented that at the Form Five level, the arts student is only held back by effort.
“Even though the arts student may be at a slight disadvantage in terms of scientific knowledge,
he or she can overcome it by spending extra time reading to make up for it. To rule out the
scientific field because one didn’t spend two years (Forms Four and Five) studying it would be
premature as one’s interest and skills are still developing.
“Instead, let your curiosity drive your exploration and use the energy generated from that
motivation to overcome any shortcomings you may have,” he said.
MATRICULATION, FOUNDATION OR DIPLOMA COURSE?
Nik Faiz said the Education Ministry provides a lot of opportunities for students to further their
studies, be it overseas or locally. Those who excel in their SPM exam, of course, have a wider
range of choices to further their studies.
“Students who have an interest to study at a university abroad may consider Foundation courses,
International Baccalaureate or A Level programmes offered by external examination boards.
Those who intend to enrol in local universities may consider the Matriculation programme
managed by the ministry,” he added.
Students who are eligible to enter the Matriculation programme can opt for either science or
accounting electives. Students are given an allowance throughout their year-long studies which
are conducted in an atmosphere similar to university. Upon completing the programme, they can
then apply for a place in programmes at public universities.
Meanwhile, there are home-grown foundation programmes with qualifications awarded by
various universities that SPM school-leavers may want to consider. The advantage of a
foundation programme is that students study subjects specific to the course they plan to take at
degree level. The assessment style is usually a combination of coursework, continual evaluation
and a final exam, but the weighting of each assessment depends on the college.
The disadvantage of university-specific foundation programmes is that it may be difficult to switch
courses.
Nik Faiz said SPM school-leavers can also enter Form Six and sit the Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran
Malaysia exam as it gives them ample time to study — close to two years — and think about
their future career.
“Students who may have personal obligations such as family finance prefer pursuing diploma
courses where they have the chance to secure a job first and will consider a degree programme
later when they want to move up the career ladder,” he added.
A diploma programme generally takes three years and there are courses in a myriad of fields.
Diploma holders are generally skilled and readily employed. If a diploma holder decides to
continue studies at the degree level, they will generally get credit exemption for the programme.
RANKINGS
Does the rankings of a university matter when looking at courses to pursue or should future
undergraduates just pursue the field of study of their choice at any university?
Mastura said the university rankings are just an insight into its capacity to serve students in their
studies.
“The most reliable ranking survey is QS ranking and in Malaysia we have APEX (Accelerated
Programme for Excellence) and Research University (RU) status. Only a few public universities
have this recognition of more capacity, better facilities and bigger research grants — that is all.
“From the employer’s perspective, it doesn’t really matter from which public or local university the
students graduate from. Good results at university are just a ticket to a job interview. It is the
student’s responsibility to enhance himself with positive personality, skill competency and
leadership experience to build up their charisma in the eyes of the future employer.”
Yap commented the dilemma here is very similar to the passion versus pragmatism conundrum
— “Should I pursue my passion or should I take a safe job that guarantees a stable salary?”
“There are merits on both sides of the coin. On one hand, graduating for a higher ranking
university looks better on your resume and the student may probably receive a higher quality
education, not to mention connections and networks.
“On the other hand, history is full of individuals who have succeeded in life despite coming from
less glamorous institutions of higher learning,” he said.
“In fact, both the late Steve Jobs and his rival Bill Gates didn’t even complete their university
education. It doesn’t matter whether one ends up at a top ranked university or chooses to pursue
a suitable course at a lower ranked one because success seems to be determined more by the
will of the individual rather than the quality of education. Once the student realises that he is in
charge of his destiny instead of the university he attends, then this decision becomes an easy
one.”
The TVET option
SIJIL Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) school-leavers have another avenue when furthering their
education — Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes.
The Ministry of Higher Education, as outlined in the Malaysia Education Blueprint (Higher
Education) 2015-2025, envisions that polytechnics and community colleges will be the premier
higher education TVET providers that develop skilled talent to meet the growing and changing
demands of industry.
The higher education landscape is now in the midst of changing from a primary focus on
university education as the sole pathway to success to one where academic and TVET pathways
are equally valued and cultivated.
Datuk Amir Md Noor, director-general of the Department of Community College Education and
acting director-general of Department of Polytechnic Education at the ministry, envisages that
enrolment in TVET programmes will increase significantly, through extensive partnerships with
industry, to ensure supply matches demand.
Polytechnics education, which began in Malaysia with the establishment of the Ungku Omar
Polytechnic, Ipoh in 1969, was entrusted to provide technical manpower to cater for the demand
for semi-professionals in the engineering, commerce and services sectors.
Community college education, on the other hand, was established in 2001 and aimed at
providing vocational-based training programmes to secondary school-leavers and the local
community through a lifelong learning approach.
Almost all of the programmes of study in polytechnics are designed to meet the regional and
national demand for semi-professionals in the said sectors while the majority of the programmes
offered in community colleges are tailored to suit the socio-economy needs of the community.
The distinct difference between programmes run by polytechnics and community colleges is the
level of qualification — polytechnics mostly offer diploma courses while community colleges
provide certificate programmes.
As of June this year, Malaysian polytechnics will be offering two pre-diploma programmes, five
special skills certificate programmes, 63 diploma programmes and eight degree programmes.
“In other words, the target groups for community colleges are quite diverse ranging from school-
leavers/drop-outs, displaced workers, communities or any members of the public who need
training for work. SPM holders can apply for full-time programmes at the certificate level in
community colleges and local community members can enrol in short courses of their interests
either during the weekends or weekdays at a nominal fee.”
Amir said as a rule of thumb, school-leavers should be mindful of the following when applying for
a programme in either polytechnics or community colleges — interests, unique talents, work
attitudes, nature of education and training, career advancement, expected salary and availability
of jobs.
“Depending on their SPM results, there are many programmes at both polytechnics and
community colleges that they can consider. They should also consider consulting career
guidance counsellors at their respective schools on a particular programme in these institutions.”

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF

JUMPING STRAIGHT INTO WORK AFTER
SCHOOL
16 August 2017 | Careers Advice | Thomas Peacock

Leaving school is a huge step in any young person’s life. School leavers have
an important decision to make: study further, or jump straight into work.

But what should you do?

The truth is, there’s no right or wrong answer, only what is right for you. Your
long-term career goals will certainly influence the decision you make, as some
industries, such as healthcare and teaching, will require you to study for
additional qualifications. On the other hand, getting a job immediately can help
you show future employees that you’ve got a wealth of experience in the
workplace. This can make you stand out from other candidates — people who
may have stayed in education but lack real work experience.

Entering the workplace

With the rising number of university places, you might be thinking that
university’s the only place to go, right? Not necessarily.

The rising cost of education has put many people off, with universities
charging an average of £6,000 in tuition a year. Furthermore, there’s no
guarantee that graduates will be able to get a job at the end of it, with a recent
study showing the majority of UK graduates are forced to apply for and
take entry-level jobs, just to pay the bills.

Debt versus earnings

A 21-year-old who left school aged 18 will, ideally, still have some relevant
qualifications, whether they’ve completed an apprenticeship or pursued
academic qualifications (such as A-Levels). In this time, they will have also
amassed a decent yearly salary. Compare this to a recent graduate, who may
have little to no practical work experience, and has accumulated several
thousands pounds worth of debt. What situation would you rather be in?

There’s a misconception that entry-level positions cannot provide a

salarycomparable to a graduate level job. While salary should not be the main
factor in considering a job (workplace happiness and the enjoyment of a
career are vital considerations, too), there is no reason that automotive
technicians, plumbers or groundworkers cannot achieve a high salary.

The success stories

We’ve all heard the stories about celebrities and business people leaving
school at an early age and going on to achieve massive success. Alan Sugar,
Richard Branson and former Home Secretary Alan Johnson are perfect
examples of what can be achieved, despite having no qualifications under
their belt.

The difference between “essential” and “desirable”

When you look at a job specification, the majority will cite certain
qualifications as “desirable” only. Even if you do not possess these, it does
not mean that you will not meet the criteria for the job. If you’ve got the
relevant experience and can make a good impression in an interview, you’re in
a much better position to be considered for the position. The majority of
employers are much more likely to hire someone who can get immediately
stuck in with a role, and someone who knows the industry they’re working in.

Perhaps you’re looking for a job in healthcare or law. Contrary to popular

belief, these don’t always require a university degree. If you want a career in
law, consider doing an apprenticeship as a legal secretary. This can lead on to
a career as a paralegal. The same can be said for dentist jobs. Recruiters still
benefit from having hard-working, entry-level applicants who can take on
responsibilities. In most cases, you’ll be able to climb up the career ladder.
Never underestimate the benefit of getting a foot in the door.

In an ideal world, the perfect candidate will possess both the practical
experience and theoretical knowledge for the job. However, the ideal is not
always achievable. Having a candidate with the exact match of experience is
often enough to persuade an employer that they are the right applicant for the
job.

Pursuing further study

If you’ve been considering going to further education, don’t panic! There are
still plenty of benefits of pursuing higher education over jumping into work.

Completing a degree is a great achievement. It shows determination and the

ability to manage time and learn many new things. Graduates can use this to
their advantage, showing that they’re in the position to learn any new skill.

Perhaps you want to go into teaching or into a psychotherapist or doctoral job.

These jobs will require accreditation, such as a PGCE, membership with the
BACP or a degree in medicine, plus specialist training, respectively.

Studies have shown that graduates earn more than non-graduates, and are
more likely to earn a promotion thanks to the skills they’ve learned during their
degree.

Better prospects
Possessing a degree, especially in the humanities sector, gives you a number
of transferable skills that can be used in most careers, such as communication
and creativity.

Whereas most apprenticeships are vocational, meaning you’ll often learn skills
applicable to one industry, a degree in English or History can take you into a
variety of careers, such as teaching, marketing or management. You even have
the option to study for further qualifications for other careers, which will allow
you to become a fully accredited solicitor, barrister or accountant.

What if I don’t like my degree?

It might be that you choose to do a degree, but you don’t like your subject.
This doesn’t mean that university isn’t the right path for you. There are plenty
of options for changing your course, or you could even jump onto a different
course through your university’s clearing process.

What if I want to change career?

If all you possess is A-Levels and perhaps an apprenticeship, should you wish
to changing your career path later in life can be difficult,, with limited skills in
other areas.

A degree allows you to demonstrate a number of so-called soft skills, which

are actually very valuable to employers. These include the ability to
communicate, be a leader (for example, in team projects) and take initiative.
School leavers working in entry-level positions will not necessarily have the
opportunity to prove or develop these skills, making a degree a much more
valuable option.

It might be that you choose to change career, only for a candidate to have a
degree in the subject that you only possess an A-level in. If you’ve completed
an apprenticeship, it might be in a subject where the skills another person has
earned from a degree are more valuable.

Enrolling in further study also gives you the opportunity to engage in extra-
curricular activities. Joining a group or society not only shows your ability to
work well with others, but also to engage in other activities during studying.
This can be a difficult task, and one which requires you to prioritise your time
and maintain a good balance. By joining a group, you might gain valuable
skills such as promoting your society, writing for a monthly newsletter, or
engaging the public to support a cause. These skills show passion and
determination, which are skills that employers appreciate.
Ultimately, there are advantages and disadvantages to jumping straight into
work or opting for further study. The decision you make will depend on your
long-term career goals, whether you’re interested in a medical job or a retail
position. Only by considering which option will benefit you the most, and
whether you value work experience over qualifications, will you have the
information to make the right choice.