Yesterday my team interviewed a candidate who comes with Masters degree in Computer Science from a reputed US university. After long hours of discussion with candidate, team told me that candidate needs at least 6 months of un-learning and then 6 months of learning to be relevant for us.
I enquired the team why a bright young chap who has spent 24 years of his life in learning at reputed schools/colleges/universities in India and abroad still needs to learn before he is useful at work. Very often it puzzles me as to why education is not delivering the relevant knowledge? Why 1-2 years of experience outplays 4 years/5 years degree? There could be many views on this question; here is what I would like to share:
1. Experience leads to learning that is directly relevant to modern times - need of current or near future industry
2. Experience leads to higher retention of knowledge
3. Experience makes people experiment/do mistakes/learn from it/see the practical use
4. Environment in company/industry does not test you how much you know but how much you have applied and contributed
Question arises why education systems globally are not able to provide learning equivalent to the one that comes from experience? Can we provide experiential learning in schools and colleges? How to create situation where we can say that 4 years degree in sociology is giving equal or more relevant learning than 4 years work in field? Can we explore some other disruptive paradigms? Let us brainstorm.
I enquired the team why a bright young chap who has spent 24 years of his life in learning at reputed schools/colleges/universities in India and abroad still needs to learn before he is useful at work. Very often it puzzles me as to why education is not delivering the relevant knowledge? Why 1-2 years of experience outplays 4 years/5 years degree? There could be many views on this question; here is what I would like to share:
1. Experience leads to learning that is directly relevant to modern times - need of current or near future industry
2. Experience leads to higher retention of knowledge
3. Experience makes people experiment/do mistakes/learn from it/see the practical use
4. Environment in company/industry does not test you how much you know but how much you have applied and contributed
Question arises why education systems globally are not able to provide learning equivalent to the one that comes from experience? Can we provide experiential learning in schools and colleges? How to create situation where we can say that 4 years degree in sociology is giving equal or more relevant learning than 4 years work in field? Can we explore some other disruptive paradigms? Let us brainstorm.
Might sound a bit cliched, but I believe that education is providing one with several equipments for use at the right time and the right place. It is the value of experience that helps us know what is the right time and where is the right place for us to use the right equipment.
ReplyDeleteLearning by experience is a self learning method. It is no doubt the best type of learning. It takes years to learn. Schools and colleges will not be able to create any situation for this type of learning. But Life is a great teacher who takes care of this type of learning.
ReplyDeleteKausalya Janardanan