Is College Still Relevant in the Information Age?

It seems that more and more young people are questioning the conventional wisdom that holds that a college degree is an essential part of success in the world of business. College doubters can point to any number of business moguls, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Larry Ellison from Oracle and Michael Dell from Dell Computers did not complete a college degree.

While this kind of anecdotal evidence does not prove that a college degree is worthless, it does reflect a growing trend in the world of information technology that places perhaps a greater weight on training, experience and certification level than on the completion of a traditional two or four year college degree.

The factor that matters most to many managers in the IT field is that the employee can get the job done and do it well. In many cases whether or not the employee holds a two or four year degree from a traditional college is irrelevant.

The Case Against the Traditional College Degree

The reasoning that holds that college is irrelevant in the information age is often one of relevance of knowledge. Many of those in the IT field feel that the world of technology moves so quickly that the skills learned four years ago will not be relevant to today's workplace. Certainly those old times who spent their college years learning BASIC may find their skills outdated, but it is important to consider that some skills taught in college, such as the ability to think critically and logically, the ability to manage time well and the ability to work independently, are relevant no matter what the age.

Another strong argument against the traditional college degree is of course one of cost. College costs are certainly not going to decline, and they are steadily on the rise year after year. Many who do achieve a two or four year degree will emerge from college saddled with debt that will take years, or even decades to repay. Many IT professionals prefer to place their limited resources into getting a number of highly sought after certifications, such as the MCSE and CCNA, in lieu of a traditional college degree. The costs of this approach can be far lower, and the payoff can come much more quickly.

The Case for the Degree

As stated above, there are some skills that college students learn that will be relevant in any business environment. The ability to work independently and think logically will be valuable to IT recruiters and business managers alike, and many young people find that the time they spend in college allows them to grow and gain perspective. This increased maturity and better perspective can be quite valuable to both the employee and the employer.

In addition, there are a number of company hiring managers and recruiters who still insist that their job candidates possess a college degree, and a bachelor's or master's degree is often a basic requirement for many higher level positions. It is important for each student to measure the costs and benefits of a college education and use those measurements to make an informed decision.

For those who with to pursue a certification track in the discipline of their choice, it is a good idea to look at the products and services offered by companies like CBT Planet. CBT Planet offers self paced computer based training, courseware, books and instructor led computer training classes to help their students succeed in their chosen field. In addition to courses covering products by Microsoft, Cisco CCNA, Oracle, A+, Red Hat, Sun, IBM and more, CBT Planet also offers training in a number of desktop application programs, including the popular Microsoft Office productivity suite. Contact CBT Planet today to discuss all your educational needs.