The skills that you mention you lack–how willing are you to learn them? There are plenty of things I didn’t know when I took the leap. Not that that is always a good thing, but with me, it was like if I didn’t just DO it I would be waiting around trying to learn everything I thought I needed to know before getting started. But you will never know it all and so much in small business is learning on the “job” as you go. I encourage you to go after those dreams anyway!

@Stephen–I like how you put that–getting “with the program.” That is so how I see it. Out of touch for some of these companies might mean out of business.

@Andrew–How important it is to emphasize those qualities to your children. The importance of happiness and fulfillment are so often glazed over (or completely avoided) both in school and in work. Good for you.

What you find with learning more by actually doing the work as opposed to when you were in school is very common. It’s part of why attitudes toward college and how well it did or didn’t prepare them tend to go sour once people are out.

@Kevin–Agreed, many of the current generation are still going for the traditional experience. But the change is still creeping in. It just may be a generation or two down the line that we see any real massive shift.

@Marelisa–That’s funny, I have heard something similar before. I also hear people joke about if higher education is the key to great success and financial reward, then why don’t college professors make more than they do? Something to think about.

@Juliet–The school system is definitely part of the problem. I think studies can be very valuable and beneficial as you expressed–it is just that often, the quality of education itself is sorely lacking.

@Dustin–You raise a good point. It seems a lot of people credit their landing good jobs to “who they know.” Not to say that the degree didn’t give them a push, but it’s interesting, isn’t it? Networking can be so powerful.

@Stacey–Amen! The skills you mention are some of the most critical in not only work, but life. Is it too much to ask that we be educated in them considering all the money we spend? Hmmm.

@William–Glad you enjoyed it!

I’ve actually been questioning the value of college. I went to college. I do have a good job now because of that piece of paper, but I’m not sure how instrumental my education was in landing this job. I actually got this job because of the networking done in college.

Some people may not agree, but I think college is still worth the price. However, if you have the opportunity to start a company, I work pursue that and maybe give college a try at a later date. I actually started a company while in college and it did well, but for a short time due to the timing of the market and the niche.

-Dustin

We seem to very much still be in a culture where you “need” to have credentials. Well, certainly here in South Africa. And I’m not sure that people are even open to giving others a chance.

I did a degree in civil engineering. I have worked for only one year in that field (and now have around 10 years work experience in other lines), but the skills that I learned during that degree have been incredibly valuable. Perhaps further studies are not always necessary, but they do have a place.

What I think needs to be changed is the schooling system. There needs to be more openmindedness there.

Juliet

I’m not sure how long it will take companies or schools to adapt to these changes because they were both built on a foundation of beliefs that have shaped our systems. Like previous changes the change will usually come from within and as more Gen Y’ers go into the work world they’ll make changes. Next generation will provide more change. Most of the Gen Y’ers I know still go for the education and student loans, etc… so it might not even be them who make the real change.