AL ELLEMA

Education is regarded as key to success and a better life. This is why most people seek education for those without are bound to be left in this competitive world. It truly matters that one has the necessary education duly supported by credentials issued by the learning institution that the person had passed through. One cannot just claim as educated without proof of such, usually through school credentials that is obtained by the grit of ones perseverance to earn education. In the quest for knowledge, many learners had imbibed that mistaken notion that the academic fields are far more rewarding than vocational ones.

The belief had led many students to taking courses that lead to academic degrees, setting aside choices that led to vocational skills on the thought that such are second class.

For several decades we have accepted that mistaken notion, egging our students to take biased preferences for degree courses than vocational. Those who could not cope with the rigors of academic studies are bound to return to the first step of the vocational field. In the same manner, those taking vocational courses who later realize the better prospect of finishing an academic degree would be forced to start all over in taking a new course. The situation had caused many students so much waste of time, money and efforts pursuing the aptest course. The great divide between academic and vocational as set by a national college entrance test had deprived many students from taking the right course or vocation that could bring them to success and a better life.

One taking academic courses is afforded vocational and technical subjects that are integrated in the main course and the same serves as fallback once the student fails to complete the academic ladder. The student may utilize the technical and vocational subjects in obtaining skills accreditation that could be used in finding a decent gainful employment both here and abroad.

Noteworthy is the shift of interest for those who have earned academic degrees seeking technical and vocational skills as a worthy fallback. It cannot be gainsaid that many degree holders are in the class of the unemployed and the underemployed primarily because of lack of opportunities for academic degree holders. The situation is made even worse as the competition among those seeking jobs had become too steep that an academic degree is often still lacking. And there is that question of competence which many degree holders are found bereft, requiring further training despite long years of schooling.

We have reached the time of awakening when we come to the realization that earning an academic degree is not truly worthy of what it promises to bring as technical and vocational skills had turned to be the greater demand in the world of work and global competition. Indeed, the world of work demands workers with skills than degrees.
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