Success Linked to Learning, Not Degree, Survey Finds

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Success Linked to Learning, Not Degree, Survey Finds

By ACS Distance Education on August 10, 2016 in | comments

If you’re worried about not possessing the right skills for the job you want, relax. Online learning can get you there.

According to a recent survey in The Australian finds that three years after graduation, almost half of graduates in managerial and professional roles work in fields unrelated to their degree. Creative arts graduates are also more likely to be employed in fields unrelated to their studies.

Discussing their findings, the survey’s authors write that this “goes some way to dispel the myth that graduates working in jobs unrelated to their field of study must necessarily be trapped in unskilled jobs.” The short version? A university degree is not the only way to find the job of your dreams.

The study’s outcomes suggest that the university process isn’t a key component of job suitability and success, but rather a function of an individual student’s learning process and drive to succeed. This is further backed by the study’s finding that distance students performed better in employment outcomes than their on-campus counterparts. The same held true for regional vs. city-based graduates, with those regionally-based faring better in both full-time employment and salary level.

In short: a university degree is not a guarantee for success, nor a necessary requirement for those looking for career change. Increasingly, distance students and online learners are better positioned to take advantage of shifts in the job market. Bringing new learning into their existing experience, online learners offer employers several advantages, including greater capacity to work independently, improved flexibility of thought and critical thinking skills, and an often goal- and achievement-oriented mindset.

Online study also offers students flexibility in their studies and a focus on on-the-job practicalities, with the option to add to existing learning at a moment’s notice. This is particularly important in coming years, due to a shift in the university process. In 2012, the government introduced a demand-driven university system, which experts predict will lead to higher numbers of young and inexperienced graduates with high university debts entering the job market. With such a glut of options, experience, maturity, and independence will help set job seekers apart – especially when compared to less experienced, knowledge-without-practicality university graduates.

This really stands out when considered in light of the professional, managerial, and creative arts results of the survey – graduates hired in fields outside of their degree must demonstrate capability and skill beyond the basics of content knowledge. In other words, a content plus experience approach is far more likely to capture an employer’s interest. Online learning and short courses offer the simplest, cost-effective way to upskill and achieve career success.

The survey, Beyond Graduation 2015, is part of a yearly series run by Graduate Careers Australia. GCA tracks outcomes of university graduates across years, reporting results from four months out through to several years.