Degree or No Degree to pursue goals?

mrlegend123

Also, I am at MSc degree level (L7 credit collecting via short courses) taking aim at Senior Leadership. You gain knowledge and skills by completing qualifications which you use in the workplace (experience) benefiting the employer and your future career prospects - Knowledge, Skills and Experience. 

YorkshirePud_TW

@mrlegend123

Thanks for that, just browsed over a CMgr, looks very interesting and well within my comfort zone of time, length and cost

May I be nosey to asked did you complete the course at a normal pace or the fast track version?

mrlegend123

at the time CMI level 5 diploma with management experience.

YorkshirePud_TW

Great information, I've just enquired.

This looks like a great suitable option so thanks for the help! 😁

Manxman_in_exile

What do you expect a degree to give you that you don't already have?

If you want to stay in your current line of work and secure some kind of "very senior/executive" role, I don't see how a degree could make you a more attractive prospect?

From my point of view, degrees are only of benefit as you progress up the career level if they are both at a higher level and very specialised or specific to what you are doing.  Somebody else has already made the point that nearly everybody seems to have a first degree these days and that a degree is listed as an essential requirement for many jobs where it really shouldn't be.  (When I left school you could become a solicitor or an accountant without going to university at all).

All a first degree really does today is act as a sift or a filter for entry level jobs - and I'd argue it's debatable how effective it is at doing that.  If you are already working in an area that you like and at a reasonably high level of seniority, what would a degree add?  In fact it might already be your USP that you do not have a degree - maybe you stand out because of it and people admire you for it?  If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Once you've broken into your chosen industry (which you seem to have already done), experience will count much more towards career progression than whether you got a degree ten years before or not.

There may be arguments in favour of somebody in your position doing an MBA, but I wouldn't be convinced.  It's only worthwhile if you do one with a good reputation*, and even then I'd be unsure if it would be worth the effort.

Just a couple of other general points.  First, you are only 29 with seven years "vast" (vast - really?) experience.  I'd suggest you may still be a bit young for many very senior/executive level positions despite what recruiters may tell you.

Second, I agree about dropping the "enthusiastic" language.  It's like reading a candidate's script from "The Apprentice" and would annoy me more than it would impress me.

Third - and many people might accuse me of being overly pedantic here, but I'll say it anyway - your opening post contains at least one glaring spelling error (or you don't know what the word you used means) and one apostrophe you've picked up from a grocer.  I'd suggest that getting that sort of thing right in the first place might be more benefit to you than getting a degree.

Incidentally, I'm not knocking getting a degree, but only do it if you want to and you enjoy the subject.  Don't just do it in the hopes of improving your career prospects.

*Unfortunately this is true of first degrees these days too.  Many undergraduates are currently studying degrees which (whether because of subject matter or academic institution) will never make them more attractive to potential employers.

MEM62

When I read your headline I was going to point out that not all careers need a degree and that you can reach the top in some of them without a formal education.  I was also going to hold up the industry in which I work, freight forwarding as an example. Then I read the body of you post and you are already in the sector.  If you like the job you do opportunities will come but you will have to look outside your company and be patient.  There are opportunities out there. Also some parts of our industry are not doing as well as other in this environment.  For example, out traditional forwarding services (import and export) are relatively quiet but our fulfilment operation has exceeded all forecasts right through the COVID crisis.  I cannot see that anyone with experience in the medical sector would not be in demand right now.          

mrlegend123

from experience, there are a lot of people who don't have degrees (not mickey mouse degrees but in engineering, business etc) who moan about people having degrees getting higher level positions - jealousy. I used to think the same on completion of my apprenticeship , but you learn the latest theories at university hence why you don't reference pre-2000s knowledge and good universities build on previous knowledge from students and professionals - continuous theory improvement. There are a alot of shopfloor workers (nvq level 3) who think they know more than a degree holders. I say stop being jealous and educate yourselfs with a revelant degree and move up the career ladder. Don't get me started on managers without management quals...

YorkshirePud_TW

@Manxman_in_exile I guess there are many arguments based on this topic, it could be never ending with the pros and cons but I do admire the feedback and the industry Vs goal would play a huge factor in it, maybe it's just personal preference for some

Vast levels of senior experience, poorly worded on my behalf so I guess I have 3 years at Senior level and the rest at normal manager status but all for reputable companies which I guess is a positive

Finally, please don't just go and correct people via your pedantic paragraph as although it's correct and many people would pick that sort of thing up......I worked my !!!!!! off to get to where I am having mild-dyslexia (not outrageously hard to combat but does not help at all) you may upset someone accidently. All my work is done via phone/computer to try and eliminate as many mistakes as possible - if I could marry spellcheck I would 😬

TELLIT01

mrlegend123 said:

from experience, there are a lot of people who don't have degrees (not mickey mouse degrees but in engineering, business etc) who moan about people having degrees getting higher level positions - jealousy.

From experience, a lot of people can gain university degrees but have absolutely no idea about how to operate in the 'real' world of work.  Great minds but totally unsuited to their roles.  It isn't jealousy which causes people to moan about them, rather frustration when you have a manager like that!

mrlegend123

TELLIT01 said:

mrlegend123 said:

from experience, there are a lot of people who don't have degrees (not mickey mouse degrees but in engineering, business etc) who moan about people having degrees getting higher level positions - jealousy.

From experience, a lot of people can gain university degrees but have absolutely no idea about how to operate in the 'real' world of work.  Great minds but totally unsuited to their roles.  It isn't jealousy which causes people to moan about them, rather frustration when you have a manager like that!

I am talking about relevant degrees such as business, engineering etc. managers with higher level of knowledge. Not mickey mouse degrees such as art......

I manage shopfloor workers (electricians, fitters etc), who think they can become future managers etc but they won't cos they are lazy in not gaining higher level qualifications. Professional bodies have educational benchmarks for a reason!!!!

Use the bonus which employers give you every year and invest in yourself. 10 credits of uni online learning is £500-750 which is cheap.