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Qualifications v skills: Is one just paper, the other the real deal?
Many say that a degree is overrated. But, while skills should get their due, let’s not undermine the value of higher education.
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While skills are increasingly getting their due, we cannot simply consign higher education to the dustbin.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: UNSPLASH
Tan Ern Ser and Hanniel Lim
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Years ago, armed with an honours degree in sociology, I (the first author) joined a company providing air cargo services at our busy international airport. Having zero knowledge of what the job scope entailed did not deter me.
In fact, I chose a cargo operations role, instead of the comfort of sitting in an office writing reports, updating procedures, and responding to customer complaints. This meant that I had to learn the technical knowledge and operational requirements quickly on the job.
