Going to University

I was talking to a friend in the IT industry and I asked him about the relevance of university for his children. He seemed reticent. I pushed further and he admitted his thinking was to avoid formal tertiary training for his kids as he believed it unnecessary, even potentially damaging to innovative thinking. He further added that the speed of change in IT is dramatic and online information/education is more up to date and relevant than professorial dogma.

That got me thinking about other service industries such as accounting and my own in financial services. Both are becoming intertwined and for the same reason. Information, Communication, Technology: the back office is systems/computers and cloud servers, the front office are relationships and behavioural counselling with people. The back office can be and often is off shore but the front office needs people who can provide value and influence other people i.e. make a sale. Hence, the changes occurring in accounting and financial services; and Universities are not preparing people for this.

Perhaps that’s not the intention. Perhaps part of the relevance for the tertiary experience is learning how to develop through a ‘growing up’ stage of life. A sort of half way house between leaving Mum, and entering an independent stage – engaged with like minded people of a similar age. Having fun, growing up and getting experience of how to learn. I’m amazed however at the number of tertiary qualified applicants that are looking to ‘learn lots’ by joining our business. It’s hardly thought invoked comment, more immature babble... Employees or new entrants need to provide value from day one. Obviously Capitalism or private business or corporate business, even self employment is not fundamental to current educational curricula – in other words preparation for employment is lacking.

I’m sure there are elements of tertiary education which are relevant for the IT industry just as there are for accounting or finance, it’s the ‘soft wired’ learning that’s perhaps missing a beat. How the candidate creates immediate value in a business which is measurable and meaningful, instilled with a sense of urgency. Even ‘geeks’ are realising the necessity to interact with business owners, and business owners certainly understand the requirement to better interact with staff, customers and suppliers.

Who’s missing the point then? It might well be middle class NZ who are sending their kids to endure some pretty average education, creating substantial debt in the process and inadequately preparing young adults for the expectations of employers looking to make money from them. Seems a bit harsh I know but with the numbers of foreign students in attendance at our Universities – the Uni ain’t about to change. Demand is so high and offshore money freely available. As that supply and demand continues to flow we the potential employers will continually need to select the wheat from the chaff as we look for rounded individuals looking to immediately add value to an organisation and its customers.

What a university education does show me which is why I’m continually focused to recruiting new people from that source, is the desire to learn and the discipline to stay the distance. Both attributes which I regard as fundamental but are not sufficient on their own to secure employment. We need more than that and those that can display additional qualities have a real future. In all professions and walks of life.