Do You Use Your College/University Degree?

[activeStick]

I graduated with an electrical engineering degree. I am not doing engineering work now, so no. However, university taught me how to prioritize, how to work in teams towards a deliverable and how to deliver under pressure, which are all things I use today. It wasn't so much the content of what I studied that has served me well, but more the process that I've taken with me.

[Dion]

Nope, not even close. I got a 2 year diploma from NAIT in Business Admin with a major in Marketing Management. Graduated in the early 80's just as a bad recession was setting in and couldn't find a job related to my career. Ended up in another field of work and never left.

[CaptainYooh]

I always considered university education as a base you use to build a career on, wherever it may take you. Trade school education is more focused to a profession (trade), while a bachelor degree program is more geared towards providing a general knowledge base. I have a masters degree in engineering, which gives it a bit more focus on a specialized area (mine was hydraulics, hydrology and water resources) and I used bits and pieces of it A LOT when I was a young engineer. Working for the government, consulting firm or contractor calls for utilizing different things you learn at school (and, of course, later on each job). So, yes, I used my degree.

[driveway]

Originally Posted by WhiteTiger

This is true, and thinking more about it (when it's not really early in the morning), I do use the 'stage management' part/classes of my degree, in the 'people herding' aspect. And a lot of the problem solving part of it, too. I was thinking more of the hard-tech aspect of the degree (how to hang a light plot, how to build a soundscape, etc) but a lot of the soft skills are pretty useful still.

Yeah, I mean, I don't focus a PAR can, like EVER, but it's nice to know how to do some basic electrical work. Or have confidence walking into a meeting or classroom that I can trouble-shoot the soundsystem relatively well. Plus costume taught me to sew, and sceneshop taught basic carpentry skills, so those are hella-useful.

Hyper-specific technical things, like designing a lighting plot? Nope, don't use, but all the soft skills from Theatre are fantastic to have.

Hell, I learned to juggle in theatre, that's something I still do everyday.

[V]

You all sound like you had a different University experience than me.

All University taught me was how to do absolutely nothing and then cram an entire 4 months of work into one week. I suppose that has served me well over the years.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by V

You all sound like you had a different University experience than me.

All University taught me was how to do absolutely nothing and then cram an entire 4 months of work into one week. I suppose that has served me well over the years.

Don't forget learning how to spend a stupid amount of money on something you didn't need.

School taught me a valuable lesson, it was the first time in my adult life I felt ripped off and scammed

[gargamel]

B.S. in chemical engineering and a law degree. I don't use either in any way, though I need a university degree to be "qualified" for my job.

I live in Cambodia and teach people how to teach English.

[MJK]

I only use my degree to screen in for jobs, but it has little to do with my current job. I wouldn't have had this job without it.

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by gargamel

B.S. in chemical engineering and a law degree. I don't use either in any way, though I need a university degree to be "qualified" for my job.

I live in Cambodia and teach people how to teach English.

That's a lot of hard schooling you put away there! Either could land you a solid gig in their respected professions. Good on you for doing what you want to though! I would love to do that one day... but you know, kids... wife... mortgage... family

[gargamel]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

That's a lot of hard schooling you put away there! Either could land you a solid gig in their respected professions. Good on you for doing what you want to though! I would love to do that one day... but you know, kids... wife... mortgage... family

This thread changed my life. CaramonLS gave me some good advice.

[MRCboicgy]

With my business degree, I can't say I use my Major specifically, but I definitely use the basic skills I learned in my Market Research, Stats & Finance (especially the ability to analyze other company's financial statements) classes all the time.

[Flashpoint]

Ability to do research and critical thinking were probably the biggest takeaways. Learning the difference between peer reviewed and junk articles.

That and hammering beers after hockey at the Den. Anyone remember the gondola?

Anyway, a professional degree opens a lot of doors, even if not in the field.

[InglewoodFan]

Chemical engineering degree, and weirdly I still use it after 20+ years. Doing some things with new technologies and pilot plants so I've been pulling out text books and running equations from scratch.

[SeeGeeWhy]

I dunno... sort of? I have a B Sc in mechanical engineering, a masters in business. I currently acquire small businesses to scale them to a size that would catch the attention of mid-market acquirers. Project management, manufacturing or distribution. Currently run a mechanical contractor and are in talks to merge with another similar group who does it under an LP structure rather than just using my own savings and personal guarantee as capital.

I maintain my P.Eng status ... pretty sure for an ego and status tool, as I rarely do any sort of engineering calculations or use my stamp. It pains me to pay those APEGA fees, but it does come in handy every once an awhile at meetings or to have clout in a conversation. I more or less project manage for the most part. The business degree I also somewhat use as a status tool as it helps me with credibility when speaking with bankers or investors regarding financing.

I have definitely felt the urge to continue my formal training, or to use a degree as a way to transition into a new sort of career. Maybe getting deeper into nuclear (specifically radiochemistry), hydrocarbon synthesis, or urban design would be very interesting to me and useful to the start ups that I am active with.

Yet my work experience has shown it would probably have been more useful to get degrees in human psychology and philosophy. I somewhat regret not getting into computer or software engineering, and often wonder if it would be worthwhile to do it at the end of my next career cycle... which would be early to mid 40s.

But honestly, the time it takes to go to school and go through all that to get the designation and then come up the learning curve on the job so that you could actually contribute... it really just feels like hiring people that do that already, but far better is so much wiser use of time. The rest would be... for academic pleasure and stimulating mental pursuit and maybe getting lucky enough to know people doing the research.

So much of the basic information is available through peer reviewed journals, conference proceedings, MOOCs, and podcasts and stuff theses days that it doesn't really feel like its worth actually going back to upgrade. The economic argument that it will pay back seems more tenuous than ever.

I am really at a loss to what to tell me kids. The future of education and work is very unpredictable.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

I use the critical thinking that my liberal arts degree helped reinforce.
I use the social skills that I learned moving to a new city and making all new friends.
I was interested in what I took and went back to school to learn.
University helped me figure out what I was most interested in continuing to learn going forward or if I went back to school.

But did I need the piece of paper for my current job? Nope.

Would I trade away the experience for the lessened debt-load? Nope, I think it was a valuable growing experience for me as a person. It helped round me out, work on my weaknesses. It made me a more knowledgeable person who could relate to a wider set of people.

I went back for my liberal arts degree at 25. I think I got more out of school than most of the youngins. Just took whatever courses most interested me. My first 2 year schooling at sait in IT got me a job but I was unhappy in that industry and left it to go back to learn and socialize and party and travel to Prague for a field school in my department.

Invaluable life experience for me imo.

[PaperBagger'14]

My trade tickets, diploma and degree are all used at my job. It's not common for most, and even out of my diploma graduating class maybe 1/3 found relevant work.

[Boblobla]

I am a Welding Engineering Technologist from SAIT. I definitely use my education on an almost daily basis. I still use one or two of my textbooks on a semi-regular basis as well. I constantly run into other graduates from my program in different areas of the industry. It is a fantastic program and really set me up well to usefully enter the work force.

[driveway]

One of the things I have been taught multiple times at various Professional Development courses is teachers shouldn't ask students "what do you want to be when you grow up" anymore.

As SeeGeeWhy said, the future of work and education is wildly uncertain. No one knows what the job market is going to look like in 10-20 years. Automation is here, AI is coming, algorithms and bots are already here taking over multiple industries.

The thing we get told to ask kids is "How do you want to impact the world" or "how do you want to impact the people in your life" as opposed to "what do you want to do" because people are going to - almost certainly - have to DO so many different things over the course of their adult lives.

It really calls into question the value of narrowly focused four-year degrees.

[vtec260]

It's a blur of four years as I went through four years of 5-6 full courses plus 4-5 labs per semester. During summer months, worked full time and took summer courses. Work in health care field in management now, but really wanted to be a mechanic.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by _Q_

Same here.

Anyone else think that an engineering degree was one of the the biggest waste of time?

I disagree with this statement, but respect your right to say it. Mine was the best deal ever, $18k for unlimited earning opportunities, what a great trade. A few years ago I gave up my P.Eng, but I still use the knowledge from school every day in my current role. As for the CFA I went and did post uni, it was also worth every late week night after work or night out on the weekend I had to skip.