Weekly Poll For June 20-27 2004

[Tami]

Personally I think that the practical experience is more important, because in alot of cases, students have learned how to do something, but they may have also picked up their teachers' prejudices & perhaps bad habits in ways to do a task. Having only school experience does not give you experience in how the job market really works, nor how to interact with other workers, companies and possibly unique situations once employed. One can always "upgrade" along the way, taking workshops & courses to broaden horizons, but when I hire someone, I consider their practical experience before I even look at their educational qualifications.

[Josh]

Both -- but I don't really know how to justify my choise /huh.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':huh:\' /> ... maybe if I think of a justification I will post it later lol

[ner0]

[font=\"Courier\"][color=\"teal\"]I think that practical experience is more important (not just cos i despised school) but because I think people learn more with hands on experience in a specific envoronment, whereas school experience is too general, no matter how educating.[/color][/font]

edit: also, how many of the people here can honestly say they learnt their skills and talents through school? and how many through practical experiences?

edit2: I realised i just pretty much copied ada, but oh well /blum.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':P\' />

[Shydragonchic]

[color=\"teal\"]I voted both. My reasoning is:....I've worked with people who had schooling.....quite often, with out practical experience, they couldn't take it out of the text book and make it work in real life. I've also worked with people who only had the experience...this is better to some extent, but when there is a problem, things aren't going smoothly, they don't have the background to figgure out a solution on their own(unless who ever trained them made them a part of problem solving during training, quite often they don't...no patience or time for it).
like:
Today's cashiers.....if they don't punch in the amout of money you hand them into the till...they can't make change to save their lives....no math basics.
Management trainees, fresh out of college/university....have no clue what the people under them actually do, so have unrealistic expectations and can not solve some problems.

There are exceptions to this, I have also worked with people with no education who could work wonders, and others who could read something in a book and be an expert within days. But, somehow I think these are rare. /ggsad.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'(sad)\' /> [/color]

[Mr_S]

well sed Shy!!!!!!!!!

[RuffRyders]

My elders often told me how they learned so much more from there practical experiences than what they did from there school experience.

So I voted for practical experience.

[Vercz]

[color=\"green\"]i guess it really depends on what sort of job you are trying to get, some will require years of practical experience, whereas others will accept students straight from university, or college...

both therefore, i believe, are equally important /biggrin.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':D\' /> [/color]

[Endo]

I may repeat what others have said, but i didnt read anyone elses post after i voted, because i hate doing that as i can alter what i write now. Ok so;

I think that both are important, as school does, in ways give you knowledge in which you [i]may[/i] help you towards a career, but that doesnt excuse pratical experience fully. Sure there is alot being taught at school where you (if you still go, or if when you did go) say to yourself (and others, if your like me) "wtf, when the hell am i going to need...." i dont know anyone in my form that hasnt said something along those lines. Pratical experience is really vital in a growing (thats mentally) child/teen/young adult as it can really open some doors. Though there are manythings where both these are needed, like hand and glove (ta ada /blum.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':P\' />). A thing that dissapoints at my school, is that there arnt exactly practical courses, but there is vocational learning (VOC) where you will actually say, go and get basically an aprentice like job say at a restaurant (example) and you will do the practical, with say a small amount of theory work, what annoys me with this is its only really (this is quite hard to word, easy to say though, lol) i guess looked upon for those students who dont really 'have hope' in passing the year from classroom work.

[to@ds]

I think people need both, but generaly employers look for the more educated people. This shows people are willing to learn.

Say you have someone come to you with a portfolio of work they have done, which is all great, and just what you want. Then the next person you interveiw comes and has exactly the same standard or work and skills, but also has a Dimploma in this choosen feild, and will work for the same rate as the person who didnt have the diploma. Who are you going to choose? Easy. The one with the diploma.

Sometimes this can seem unfair and harsh, but we all make the choice on whether to go into higher education or not. If you choose not to, and all the jobs you go for are taken by "fresh out of college" students, then there is no-one else to blame.

Im glad I went to college and got my Diploma. I learnt alot, made some good friends, and had a great experience doing it. And while I was at college I got experience in the programes I now use, like Dreamweaver and Photoshop. Not only that, but we had lots of hands on experince doing networking and mainitance which helped bolster what I allready knew about these topics.

I dont know, maybe American colleges are differant, be here in England hands on is thought of as being just as important as doing theory. You cant do the hands on if you dont know the theory. If you know the theory, then you know where you want to be in the practical, if that makes sense. Both are just as important as each other.

[mobil1_oils]

[b][i][color=\"gray\"][font=\"tahoma\"]Personally i beleive practical experience is more important but sadly most companies see it the other way.

Here in Australia, school experience really means nothing for those who arent after a government position or something that required a HSC, all school teachers in AUS well tell you if you dont see a point in going to yr 12, then dont, leave at yr 10 and do what makes you happy.

I left at yr 10, and im now working casual at Coles Supermarkets earning more than an apprentice motor mechanic which is what i want to do sometime in the future, and eventually open my own garage.

I say its personal opinion, but if you are looking at it from a company perspective, then school experience and work experience are probably equally as important. [/b][/i][/color][/font]