By ChengMun Kok
ChengMun Kok is a full-time communications & PR professional. She aspires to share the voice of the youth through her writing and active involvement on social media. She focuses on topics related to youth, education, personal development, technology and new media, and she is passionate about how the youth can make the world a better place.
As the saying goes, “Education is a lifelong journey”. When it comes to professional and continuous learning, many may consider embarking on the journey of postgraduate education, while others may choose to uptake short, skill-based online programmes to enhance their technical skills and knowledge.
A majority of us may have stopped at the crossroads, thinking: Should I go for my Master’s Degree? Is Postgraduate Education for me? Am I ready for the next level of education? In fact, it is an important decision — as important as having a family or moving to a new place, as it brings about significant changes to our mindsets, perceptions as well as our commitments. Many may see it as a level-up opportunity for their careers, while some may expect a whole new level of exposure to a broader realm of knowledge. On the other hand, there are constant debates about how useful is postgraduate education in securing a better future, as education and experience stand out in their own ways. So, why do people go for a postgraduate degree, or why not?
A ticket to climb the career ladder
As we start our search for postgraduate education, many of us may be motivated by the fact that a postgraduate degree may expose us to better career opportunities; postgraduate education is also commonly labeled as the stepping stone for a higher position at the management — however, is that so? Not entirely. If you’ve pictured your postgraduate education as a tool that “guarantees” a better career opportunity ahead, you may have to think twice.
We see more and more degree-holders entering the workforce each year, and employers are also seen to be raising the educational requirements needed to fill positions in their companies. On the other hand, holding a higher qualification (or being ‘overqualified’) than what is being needed, puts one into a position of ‘underemployment’, giving a candidate a rough start of his/her career upon graduation. While many are now turning to postgraduate education as a ‘tool’ to stand out among the rest, there is a need to shift our focus to something else more important instead. Qualifications are important as a measurable tool for eligibility upon entry, however, it does not guarantee a better career outlook.
As compared to eminent academic credentials, a “hungry mind” to learn seems to attract the attention of potential employers better, in addition to a strong grasp of emotional intelligence, resilience, empathy, integrity, learnability, and leadership skills. Candidates who possess the required soft skills are still the most sought-after ones by their potential employers. While considering an employee for promotion, employers take job performance and strategic thinking ability into account. These skillsets can either be obtained through experience at the job or through a conducive environment established by the university, as you undergo your bachelor’s degree or postgraduate education. Does all postgraduate education equip you with these skills? Not all of them. Hence, it is important that we make the right choice that is tailored to our needs, before embarking on this new journey.
A practical source of knowledge
“A graduate degree, especially from a top school, may give a candidate an edge for an engineering position….In a field like sales, though, results are what matter most — and you do not get sales results from a graduate program.” – Margaret Steen
The quote above basically sums it all — while deciding on postgraduate education, practicality is of utmost importance. With next-gen technologies on the rise, most of us, including our employers, are on the lookout for opportunities to upskill and reskill ourselves, to be accustomed to the next wave of change. Selecting the right postgraduate education helps us to level up our skills and be exposed to a broader realm of knowledge, especially when it complements our skillsets and professional experience. Sometimes, it may even help us discover different facets of the industry, and enhance our passion for what we are doing. Education, though theoretical, is capable of helping us in building our fundamentals, be it for a different industry or a different set of skills that we intend to explore.
When it comes to practicality, one size does not fit all — the most practical postgraduate degree is a degree that has been evaluated based on individual needs. For example, an MBA degree may complement the business strategic thinking skills for a Software Engineering Manager, but a Sales Manager may find his work experience way more practical than the degree. Vice versa, a Postgraduate Certification in Data Analytics may equip the Sales Manager with relevant technical skillsets in analytics, but a practicing Data Scientist may find the skills taught in the degree insufficient to level up his exposure.
Are you ready to commit?
Now that we get to evaluate the deciding factors behind postgraduate education, it is only realistic that we look at the (possible) hurdles and commitment required, before the ultimate decision-making moment of registration.
Undoubtedly, time is an investment that we all require to make. Embarking onto a postgraduate journey simply means that you will be reducing your hours spent at work, with your family, or for entertainment. A full-time postgraduate education requires you to take a career break, while a part-time programme puts your multitasking skills to test as you juggle between different responsibilities at the same time. Be prepared to spend time on your classes, assignments, test, and most importantly — research and reading, which can be extremely time-consuming, but makes your postgraduate education journey worth more along the way.
The fact that we owe more to student loans than to credit cards is something that we should consider before landing ourselves into postgraduate education, which can be costly if we are not entitled to any scholarships/sponsorships. Apart from committing our time to postgraduate education, we are also making monetary investments for our future. It is important to make every penny worth — that is where the resources, facilities, accreditation, and quality of education provided by the institution come in. Throughout this process, again, it requires us to invest time and effort to gain the best benefits out of the postgraduate journey.
The verdict: Postgraduate education is not “one-size-fits-all”
Based on what has been discussed above, I believe every one of us would’ve evaluated the benefits of postgraduate education differently. The postgraduate journey is a self-driven journey where every one of us gets to steer ourselves ahead, and unlike formal education in primary, secondary, and early tertiary education, we get to tailor our experience based on our expectations.
As we set our expectations right, be prepared for the challenge, and get ready to commit, it is now time to take the giant leap — there is no journey too tough, and it all counts on our determination and motivation for success. To those who have a clear set of goals in our minds, the postgraduate journey will be a journey worth celebrating, as it opens our eyes to a bigger world and broadens our horizons, be it at a professional level or a personal level.
* The views expressed herein are strictly the personal opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of YamCha Time.
