I posed the message below to the HRNET list in response to a theme running
through several postings there. It occurs to me that lists members on
mg-ed-dv might have an interest in it, too.
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James Morrissey cites a Boston Globe article about Lotus Development CEO
Jeffrey Papows who has reportedly embellished his resume and asks why an
obviously competent person would do such a thing. John Sullivan points out
that anyone can work in HR -- no degree required. Anne Marie Harmony
observes that a four-year college degree, no matter the field, might be
quickly outdated and, in any event, constitutes only a small portion of a
working career.
Well, a college degree, whatever its educational, social and personal
benefits, is mainly a ticket of admission when it comes to the workplace.
Most degrees are undergraduate degrees. A very small portion of the
general population goes on to obtain an advanced degree (Masters or PhD).
There are some who argue that, currently, a college degree is required
because a high school diploma no longer signifies anything about education
level (e.g., literacy and numeracy). Some are beginning to argue that the
college degree is becoming similarly meaningless. Yet, the earnings
difference between college grads and those without degrees is substantial.
Thus, a college degree, especially an advanced degree, is likely to remain
at least economically attractive for quite some time.
What is changing, however, is the shape of education. Picture, if you
will, one of those long skinny balloons that are used to fashion balloon
animals for children -- you know, the kind that get twisted and wrapped
into bunnies, puppies, giraffes and so on. To me, education currently
looks like a long skinny balloon with a big bulge at one end. In other
words, education is typically jammed into the front end of our lives --
kindergarten (K), elementary school (1-6), junior high (7-8) and high
school (9-12), followed by four years of undergraduate schooling. This all
happens by the time the "balloon" is in his or her early twenties. Unless
graduate school followed, and barring unforeseen misfortune, the graduate
went on to spend 40-odd years in the workplace.
We've known for a long time that learning is a life-long process.
Education is beginning to acknowledge this. Instead of a big bulge or dose
of education at the front end of our lives, education is beginning to
spread out. "Periods of education at spaced and probably irregular
intervals" is one way of describing it. That long skinny balloon is
beginning to show signs of bulges throughout its entire length. The
precursors for this changing shape of education have been around quite a
while. The community colleges and correspondence courses/schools have been
with us for a long time. "Distance learning" is a more recent instance and
it is growing rapidly, some might say "mushrooming." The shape of
education is changing.
In this kind of environment, what will matter most is not so much where you
went to school or what degree you obtained a few years ago or many years
ago, but the recency and relevance of your educational experiences (formal
and informal) -- and the competency displayed in your performance. In case
it hadn't occurred to you, being a lifelong learner means being a lifelong
student. "Distance learning," which is a high-tech version of the good old
correspondence course seems to be one of the more obvious ways of making
this a practical undertaking. Short training courses will still be viable
options, too, but extended times away from the workplace will be a luxury
that only the wealthy can afford or a benefit that companies will provide
to a chosen few (something like IBM's old co-op program).
Were I in HR (which I haven't been for many years now -- but I like to stay
in touch), managing employee education would be high on my priority list.
Naturally, so would training and development. My recruiting emphasis would
shift a bit, too; I'd be looking for learners -- of all ages and
backgrounds -- for, in the last analysis, if an organization's future
hinges on its people, then in turbulent, fast-paced times like these, it is
the ability of those people to learn on which everything hangs.
Just some Saturday morning thoughts...
Regards,
Fred Nickols
Distance Consulting "Assistance at A Distance"
http://home.att.net/~nickols/distance.htm
nickols@worldnet.att.net
(609) 490-0095