In response to recent classwork, and fellow classmate Sunny Zheng’s discussion of the worth of a degree, I’ve decided to weigh in. I feel Sunny makes a lot of powerful connections in a quantitative sense, linking ideas of job prospects and return on investment. From personal experiences speaking to associates of my father, and contacts from summer work, however, I’ve had the opportunity to gauge what a degree equates to in one’s future. One truth is abundantly clear: a degree is not ensuring an individual success in their future; instead, it merely provides one with a fundamental base for structuring a career. For that reason, I tend not to quantify a degree with statistics. Think about a major investment firm, for example. An individual could be the most successful investment advisor for a company with a sciences degree, for they could be one of a few really powerful biotech securities analysts. But, their degree only acted as a supplement – a base, rather than a means of getting a job. When I go forward in my university education, I won’t look to a BComm as the reason I’m qualified for a job. It’s like what Brian Wong had said during the Sauder panel for incoming first-years (roughly paraphrased), “when I interview potential employees for Kiip, their college degree is simply a checkbox on my notes, nothing more”.
Picture: Brian Wong, Sauder Grad and CEO of Kiip