Andrea UvanniQuality Program Manager| BE&K Building GroupSchenectady, Ny, United States
Education teaches you how to learn. Experience teaches you how to grow. Do you value education or experience more in your team and/or employees?
Does a BS outweigh 5 years experience and documented growth?
Does a MS outweigh 10 years? etc...
I have met many engineers and PMs with a larger piece of paper than me, that do not have the experience and problem solving skills to produce beneficial results in a situation where a project falls off the 'book' guidelines. Saving Changes...
Vibhav PantManager- ICT Projects| Department for Child Protection, SA GovAdelaide, South Australia, Australia
Hello Andrea. Now the question that you have raised is a very interesting one. It is indeed a big dilemma to the majority of us. Now for the market scenario that India currently demonstrates, education and experience are kind of equal. Let me explain to you in this way:
Scenario 1: Enter the Industry after Bachelor's Degree
Scenario 2: Enter the industry after Master's Degree
Now for starters, the scenario 2 is beneficial as you get a higher pay as compared to scenario 1 for some industries. But then meanwhile rather than doing masters, if you directly jump into the industry after Bachelor's degree, there are companies that respect your experience and pay you more.
But at the end of the day, Education does matter to get you a good role in the organisation. I know it is not conclusive enough but it is a reality.
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1 reply by Andrea Uvanni
Sep 27, 2016 1:30 PM
Andrea Uvanni
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Exactly... it's a touch call. I have already entered the field and am working towards my PMP. The debate really falls for me personally on continuing my education and going for a masters.... or continuing to grow my knowledge and experience through work.
I am not sure I see the benefit of returning to school, but i do see the benefit of pursue a technical certification. And of course, we each have our own situation... what is more beneficial, if it can even be determined, to further advance a career?
Saving Changes...
Andrea UvanniQuality Program Manager| BE&K Building GroupSchenectady, Ny, United States
Sep 27, 2016 1:17 PM
Replying to Vibhav Pant
...
Hello Andrea. Now the question that you have raised is a very interesting one. It is indeed a big dilemma to the majority of us. Now for the market scenario that India currently demonstrates, education and experience are kind of equal. Let me explain to you in this way:
Scenario 1: Enter the Industry after Bachelor's Degree
Scenario 2: Enter the industry after Master's Degree
Now for starters, the scenario 2 is beneficial as you get a higher pay as compared to scenario 1 for some industries. But then meanwhile rather than doing masters, if you directly jump into the industry after Bachelor's degree, there are companies that respect your experience and pay you more.
But at the end of the day, Education does matter to get you a good role in the organisation. I know it is not conclusive enough but it is a reality.
Exactly... it's a touch call. I have already entered the field and am working towards my PMP. The debate really falls for me personally on continuing my education and going for a masters.... or continuing to grow my knowledge and experience through work.
I am not sure I see the benefit of returning to school, but i do see the benefit of pursue a technical certification. And of course, we each have our own situation... what is more beneficial, if it can even be determined, to further advance a career? Saving Changes...
The information presented here has been expecting more for informational purposes only. First American does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. http://www.gingersoftware.com/ Saving Changes...
Tara BachmanDeputy Administrator| Public Service Commission of WisconsinMadison, Wi, United States
From my perspective, I place more weight on experience than education, but do take both into consideration.
I have met many PMP certified project managers who lack the ability to effectively manage projects despite the credential. I have met many non-PMP certified project managers who are exceptional project managers.
Because of this, I place more weight on one's experience. Just because you have the knowledge from studying for and passing the PMP does not mean you understand how to apply it practically. The same can be said for a bachelor's and/or master's degree.
If you are unable to apply what you have learned, the education is not beneficial to the organization, the project or the team. Saving Changes...
Lisa KomidarService Delivery Manager - Sr. Engagement Manager| Optimum Healthcare ITKane, Pa, United States
I struggle with this because I have an associates degree but a lot of training and hands on experience. I feel as if my current unit takes advantage of the fact that I only have an associates degree and continue to give me the responsibilities of a project manager but never a title (or pay). When applying for jobs that list that you need a 4 year degree, I apply anyway.
And no, I do not want to go for my 4 year degree. For the most part, I'm missing only the courses related to liberal arts, humanities, etc. I am a learner style that requires a passion for the topic. I am also great at hands-on approaches to learning. To attend classes (either in person or online) in topics that bore me with reading a lot, or topics that I have no real interest in, would only waste valuable money and time.
If they want someone that knows project management and will work hard to develop in that skill set, they will hire me.
PS....this is the main reason I went with the CAPM. Difference in the actual PM hours needed when you do not have a 4 year degree and the fact that I've been limited at my current employer on the number of projects I'm assigned as a PM. I do have other PM based roles though and have served as a scrum master often. I wanted to be able to demonstrate that I know the PMBOK and project management. I now want to get my Certified Agile Practitioner. Saving Changes...
Mudassar KhanProgram (Project )Manager| Woodward Canada IncPeterborough, ON, Canada
Education is the prerequisite for certain high level jobs, being an Engineer Myself i cannot agree with you more on the issue certain individuals cannot think outside the box, Education combined with Experience and Essential Management and Workaround/ Risk Mitigation Skills are a must have to formulate a successful team.
Experience can never outweigh Education Saving Changes...
Cheikh FAYE Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Expert, CEO and owner| Eurêka TechnologiesDakar, Senegal
If Experience teaches how to grow, Education is surely the lamp which lightens the path allowing managers to go further in the right direction. Saving Changes...
Wade HarshmanScrum Master| GDITIndianapolis, In, United States
There are a lot of current, lively conversations about this topic. I think there always will be. It's fueled by recent graduates who've spend tens of thousands of dollars on a degree, but can't get a job because they don't have experience. On the flip side are project managers with decades of experience who lose opportunities to untested project managers with MBAs. While I'm at it, let's color the conversation with PMs who have years and years of (bad) experience and are lousy project managers.
Then let's cloud things even further with certifications, which don't accurately reflect education or experience. (Yes, I know the PMP should reflect both, but we all know that some people find their way around these requirements.) In spite of the limits of certifications, they're items that recruiters look for, so the person with limited education or experience might get an interview based on a two-day course he took, and the person with 8 years of college and 20 years of experience might get passed over. Saving Changes...
Eric SimmsSenior Program ManagerBaltimore, Maryland, United States
It depends why I’m hiring someone. If I need someone to do critical task X, I want to hire someone who has successfully done X many times, not someone who has merely studied theory about how to perform X. However, if I’m hiring people to fill long-term positions I’ll give more weight to education because the people will have time to acquire experience. Also, educated people lacking experience are blank slates, while experienced people can be set in their ways. This prevents them from learning new ways to do things, and can make them liabilities that hinder a progressive company’s growth. Saving Changes...
Edward DanielsProject Manager| IndependentGlen Burnie, Md, United States
I have been on both sides of the coin in this matter. In my twenties, armed with a brand new masters degree i thought the emphasis on experience was just ridiculous. Fast forward 10 years later, i understood better why experience atimes may seem to trump education. Armed with both education and experience is a winning combo. If i can do it again, i will have my 22-year old get a few certifications along with work experience and 5 years later work on a masters degree. I see a lot of new graduates go to graduate school without any work experience. It is a big waste if you are not working which is why most graduate schools encourage working adults (parttime).
A great example is Bill Gates vs. Warren Buffet... Bill Gates has no college degree but he forever changed computing while Warren Buffet has a Masters degree from Wharton and he has forever changed the investing landscape. One is not better than the other, but to most employers, having a formal education along with useful experience is a winning combo! Saving Changes...
