Higher education has always paid off in the workplace, but in a technology-driven economy, the value of 'knowledge workers' has never been higher.
According to the Census Bureau, in 1975 workers with an advanced degree--that is, a master's, professional, or doctoral degree--earned about 1.8 times what high school graduates did. By 1999, those with advanced degrees pulled in 2.6 times the salary a high school grad could expect to earn.
Being the owner of a technical staffing firm, I often have the opportunity to make recommendations to technical talent in regard to career planning and developing a career path.I often recommend to software engineers the continuation of their education.After giving this career recommendation for about one hundred times, I took my own advice and returned back to school.
After surviving cancer in 2000, I read an article in HR Magazine about how someone should go about making a 3-5 year career plan.Most people can easily make a 3-5 year commitment to a car payment, but have no idea what is involved in making future career plans. I investigated the University of Phoenix Online for the bachelor’s degree program and signed up as soon as I could figure out the financing.I completed the bachelor’s program in May of 2007 and decided six months into the program that I would continue straight on to the master’s degree program.
Realizing that I have been given a second chance at life, figure I have a life expectancy of 80 years total.That means that I have another 40 years to do what I wish I had done in the first 40 years.Going back to school was just the start of my career goals.Eventually my hopes are to land a position internally within a technology organization (here in the Silicon Valley or San Francisco) as a significant contributor to the organization’s staffing, hiring and the bottom line.In addition to filling my head with wonderful information, I believe that completing this master’s degree program is going to signify the end of my academic plans and the start of my new career aspirations.
References
Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) www.hrci.org
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comments
Congratulations
posted 5/4/2008 at 6:15 p.m. PT by Russ Moon,MBA
Hi Danny,
Congratulations on completing your bachelors and moving on to the Masters program.
"Education alone won't make you a millionaire, it won't make you a "good person", it doesn't make you "better than" another human being...but Education...never hurt anyone." Russell S. Moon, Jr. My Dad.
I went back mid-life to pursue my MBA, it was hard juggling work & school, but definately was worth it.
Good luck and if I can support you as you take your journey let me know.
Response to Russ Moon (re: adult education)
posted 5/5/2008 at 9:32 a.m. PT by Daniel Parrillo
Russ... You really made my Monday morning - and can't thank you enough. I've got a smile on my face, so big - that I look like Jack Nicholson as the Joker in that Batman movie !!
Would love your comments on this....
Met some folks from Carnegie Mellon on the expo floor of the RSA Conference here in San Francisco (they were promoting their Masters and Ph.D. programs)... - apparently, they are VERY much against online academic programs. Now, I heard the same thing from representatives from Berkeley, Stanford and the Academy of Art University here in San Francisco (I went there in the 80's)... - now I know the Art Academy is using online programs not only to each the basis undergraduate classes - but also allowing students from remote locations to attend class and have access to the wonderful professors and view the physical artwork that their peers are doing here - right in the art of San Francisco.
This "outside the box" thinking has helped to make the Art Academy a HUGE presence here in San Francisco (they purchased most all of the establishments abandoned by the Catholic Church - because they could not afford to retrofit - as well as other reasons) - but the Academy is one of (if not the) biggest property owners in San Francisco now - and that's no small task.
As Web 2.0 evolves and the ways we communicate and do business change (as it did with the mass use of the telephone) change- online classes, forum, webinars and peer-to-peer video are going to become a much more essential part of our lives. As working adults, who need to be "on the cutting edge" - always need to be current and educated in the topics and skills that make us marketable and "in-demand" for employers - THAT is what is going to keep adults like you and I "current" and valuable in the marketplace (and not in line at the retirement home - waiting for rice pudding!!) We're NOT DEAD YET!! I know wonderful, intelligent people - working and productive in their 80’s!! I survived cancer - and truly believe I've been given a second chance. Excuse me if I'm a little intolerant of bias and prejudice because of the academic program (which is full accredited) that I selected - because it fit my schedule, finances and ambitions to better myself.
I do not know why hiring managers and staffing/recruiting professionals have such an "attitude" about my education from a "mail-in" academic program like the University of Phoenix... (have actually heard a hiring manager refer to it as such.) This is truly the "old way of thinking." If they did their homework - they would find that this organization has been ahead of the game - and perhaps institutions like Carnegie Mellon could learn some things from good-ole' University of Phoenix... (I believe the word is "benchmarking"...?? - Learned that because of UoP !!)
The University of Phoenix found a market ("working adults") and catered an educational program that fit their scheduled and their needs... and Web 2.0 tools and techniques were what helped working adults achieve those goals - and probably help them to take their career to the next level (student loans and all !) Working adults do not have parents to help them out - when the economy takes a dive, we're the ones who have to deal with changing mortgage payments, health insurance payments and increasing gas prices.
University of Phoenix was one of the first to address training and adult education "online" - and has been creating classroom "communities" since their very first online class. The techniques and the social communication among UoP forums seemed to be a lot like what folks were talking about as "new and cutting-edge" when I attended the Web 2.0 Expo last week.
Guess what I'd like to see - is less attitude - and more "kudos" for working adults who believe that "you should always be learning!" This attitude about online training and academic program must go the way of the old "Ma-Bell" phone lines you pay good money to have installed - and now uses a wall phone anymore? (OK - my aunt Flo does.. but she's 89 years old and does not know how to use her ATM card... she thinks the ATM is The Devil!!)
Again Russ - thank you so much - for making my Monday. Danny!
BTW - Here's a prediction for you... soon, we will see laptop computers where your cell phone plugs in to it - like those old "walkman" knockoffs use to pull out of your "boom-box" you had in the late 80's and 90's. The cell phone will provide instant satellite access to the internet - and you can charge your phone, answer phone calls and even do peer-to-peer video on both your laptop and cell. You'll also be able to have ONE service provided - for both Internet and Cellular Phone access. Just Watch !!
3-5 Year Career Plan
posted 5/6/2008 at 7:40 a.m. PT by Robert Stanke
Great post. This is something I sruggle with all the time. See the problem is that I am such a fickle person. I stay with something just long enough to start seeing a good, decent return, and then I bail on it. I get too antsy. Because of that, I have always had a problem with long-term planning. On top of that, I have so many interests, and I want to incorporate them all...
Robert Stanke http://www.robertstanke.com
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