What is the best way between higher education and skill acquisition? In today’s rapidly evolving world, the traditional emphasis on higher education is being challenged by a growing recognition of the importance of skill acquisition. Higher education has long been required as the pathway to success and societal advancement, but the landscape of learning is shifting towards a more nuanced understanding of what constitutes valuable knowledge and expertise.
As people delve deeper into this topic, more attention is paid to the debate between the two approaches: higher education and skills acquisition. Especially those who lived in the old days and those who are now familiar with the modern era, who argue a lot since they have different opinions due to the various backgrounds they grew up with and the perceptions and biases that come with them. Then, who is right?
To begin with, why was higher education valued and taken for granted by almost everyone in previous eras? Among several factors, the biggest of them is social. In the past, many people believed that the level of education determined social status, so people with higher education usually had more high-level jobs, power, and respect. In the 20th century, many countries classified people’s jobs as blue-collar and white-collar.
At that time, people who worked in the field usually wore jeans and blue shirts because the color blue hid stains from work, and the material of blue shirts was not easily torn, so it was suitable for people who performed physical labor. The word blue collar is used to characterize this group of workers. The contrasting group of jobs is called white collar because people in these jobs often wear brightly colored clothes, as external factors do not quickly soil their work clothes. People then looked at blue and white collar and judged their education and salary. We can understand that people viewed blue-collar as low and white-collar people as high.
Furthermore, people with higher education have more job opportunities and more opportunities to further their knowledge. In the past, many jobs and workplaces required higher education as a prerequisite. Higher education was the only way to access a wide range of information and knowledge, which was less readily available than today. People perceived universities as centers of learning and a source of social development and innovation, as students could gather and have discussions, share ideas, and develop new ideas.
So, why do people now prefer skill acquisition over higher education? In the past, skill acquisition was not viewed as favorable because, as I mentioned above, it was a social norm that they only recognized people with higher education. Therefore, professions that require skills, such as singers, painters, and chefs, were socially valued lower than other professions, such as doctors and lawyers, and were not favored. However, as times have changed, these perceptions have also begun to change. It is mainly due to the development of AI and the internet.
Unlike before, people don’t need higher education to gain knowledge and information. With the invention of the internet, people can find and get the information and knowledge they need anywhere, anywhere, and anytime. For example, history, a subject that in previous eras could only be studied in detail by going to college, can now be learned and understood by watching YouTube videos or reading online books.
Moreover, as time passed and trends changed, the diversity and preferences of jobs changed. In South Korea, where I live, K-pop is very popular worldwide, and K-pop stars have gained a lot of wealth and fame. Most people pursuing a career as an idol or singer usually give up on higher education because it requires various skills, such as singing, dancing, acting, and so on. Still, they have proven to be successful despite this.
For example, K-pop singer IU made her debut as a singer at a young age, and despite not having a higher education, she has garnered both fame and fortune, with many fans and a net worth of hundreds of millions of dollars. Other professions include influencers and YouTubers. Nowadays, almost everyone is on social media, and platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok have become so popular that influencers and YouTubers who are active on these platforms earn a lot of money based on their popularity alone, regardless of their higher education. Young people highly favor these professions, so the importance of higher education has decreased.
In addition, the number of people starting their businesses and becoming self-employed has increased. Mark Zuckerberg, who dropped out of Harvard University, which is one of the best universities in the world, and started his own business called Facebook, which has made him a lot of money, and Steve Jobs, who also dropped out of college, started a business with computers and created the company that everyone knows today, Apple.
These examples show why many people nowadays prefer to start their own business or become self-employed rather than work for a company that requires a high level of education; so many people believe that having a wide range of skills and abilities is the key to success rather than higher education.
Thus, the importance of skill acquisition and higher education changed at different times, and in my point of view, I have a neutral position. It’s impossible to define precisely a better choice because different professions require different things. In my case, I am thinking about a future in art and fashion design. Drawing skills, creativity, the ability to read trends, and so on are highly valued in these fields.
Therefore, rather than focusing on traditional academic studies, I’ve attended various institutes to learn practical skills. For example, I take drawing classes every day at an art institute and spend my evenings researching and learning about fashion design. These experiences will enrich my portfolio, which will help me to start a career as a fashion designer in the future.
On the other hand, my sister is pursuing a career as a lawyer. Being a lawyer is a very academic profession by default, and it is essential to major in law at a recognized university. So, she went to a prestigious university for this purpose and is still studying constantly. She spends a lot of time in the library daily and works hard to get good grades in school.
In conclusion, it is difficult to say that one is superior to the other because the competencies required vary depending on the individual’s goals and chosen field. Both are important, and people should understand and respect each other’s needs and values. However, what is most important, regardless of whether you choose to pursue a path of skill acquisition or higher education, is for each person to clearly set their own goals and work hard to achieve them. An individual’s success ultimately depends on how passionate they are about their chosen path and how consistently they strive to fulfill their dreams. Therefore, I hope people can all believe in their chosen path and work hard without worrying too much about what others think and say.
By: Yoonhye Ko
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