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should I continue schooling?
So I'm a Pharmacy Technician student currently in a 9 month program at a community college. My school offers a 2 year degree program and for a while I've been contemplating if I should do it or just get the certification.
Reasons for it: I wanna be more qualified. I wanna have a better chance at getting jobs in the future. Not just tech jobs, but like management tech jobs...stuff like that.
Reasons against it: As much as I like school, I wanna work. School is expensive. And frankly, I don't wanna continue more schooling when I don't have to. Oh and the program I'm in is nationally accredited, if that helps for some reason.
I don't want any preaching about college, please. I just want honest opinions concerning money, time, and if you think extra schooling is worth the time, effort, and of course, cost.
Thanks :)
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I'm old enough to be your grandfather. I am retired which may give me a unique insight into your question. During my career I have at times had the opportunity to interview applicants for positions and to make recommendations to the managers making the final selections.
My take on your question is this. At the moment the job market is not the greatest. While jobs in the medical field are more available then in other fields there are more applicants than jobs.
Just how one candidate is selected over all others has a lot to do with how the candidate interviews with the initial interviewer and then the all important second interview. A lot has to do with the chemistry between the two, the qualifications for the job and some things that just cannot be quantified. Still there are times when there are two or more equally qualified and equally acceptable candidates for the position.
How is the selection of the one candidate made? EDUCATION. We look at the candidates education; who has the better education? Who studied in a field or has the higher level of education in our field or one most closely related? Sometimes it comes down to who had to work harder to get their education.
National Certification is good and in some fields even required. My son is a Paramedic/Firefighter. He was in the first class to receive National Certification. On advice of his advisers he also received a 2 year degree in Emergency Medical Services. With these two on his resume every job he has applied for he has gotten. Applications for firefighter now require that firefighters be paramedics.
His degree in Emergency medicine set him apart from the 100 others that applied for the 4 positions that were available for hire where he now works. He waited 3 or four years for this job to have openings and after he was hired he was told he was the first person approved to test and the first behind a state police officer transferring,cost savings no background check needed, to be sent the conditional offer.
Both as someone who has been an interviewer and a parent of someone who's education has proven to get him the job he has been wanting since his decision to be come a paramedic. It is my opinion that the more education you have the better your chances are of obtaining your{life}goals.
The time and effort is worth it as it means something to your future employer. It tells us something about you. The cost, if need be take a student loans to cover the costs. Then after graduation you will pay it back out of the extra earnings the degree will bring you.
In short my answer is stay in school and get the degree. If need be get a job and finish your degree at night or on-line.
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Unfortunately, the short answer is "It depends."
My husband has recently gone through the same dilemma. He got a 3 year diploma in engineering technology, with the potential to spend some time in university to upgrade to a degree. My husband considered completing his degree immediately after leaving college. The expense would have been a serious setback. He has now been with his current company for a year, and feels that he's got great opportunities at the education level he's at, so he's decided to put off any further schooling until he feels he needs it.
Finish the program you're in. Try to find work. If you're having trouble finding work in your field, it may be a good idea to go back to school.
Let's say you find a job. After working for a while you may find that you're not where you want to be, and that education may help boost you up. Or you may find that you're going to have an excellent opportunity to continue working at your current education level, so you can pass on school. You're never too old to go back!
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