Being the creative and ambitious creatures many university students are, we are always looking for something ‘extra’ on top of our academics. Especially in the modern context, we are increasingly being ingrained with this idea that work experience is fundamental for succeeding in the business and corporate environment – and I totally agree with this, hence my placement at Pollenizer.
However, with this new and increasingly prevalent ‘pressure’, time management inevitably becomes a problem. Many students will ask themselves, “Should I focus on academics or sacrifice my ‘High Distinctions’ and ‘Distinctions’ for corporate experience?” For some, this isn’t a problem – they are able to manage their priorities effectively. But for many, if not the majority, they will have to find a balance.
So, drawing from my experiences at Pollenizer and my understanding of the corporate environment, here’s the key question:
“Should I stay in tertiary education or ditch it all together and ‘learn’ through a startup?”
STARTUPS: A GOLDMINE OF EXPERIENCE
The opportunity to dropping your studies and having a good go at starting up a business does have a certain appeal, just look at the prime example of Facebook! The potential of earning millions, if not billions during the prime 20’s does ring a bell for the younger generation. And even if you fail, there is an endless list of insights that you would gain about running a business that you wouldn’t get from listening mindlessly to a lecture about ‘organisational structure’.
Why Startups?
- Wealth of insights that you can gain from running a business, arguably more than any university degree, or even an MBA can offer.
- By running a startup, you are effectively being exposed to all aspects of management from foundation to exit.
- For career development, startups offers the younger generations to enhance their entrepreneurial spirit and creative capacity, qualities that more and more corporates are attempting to attract in the modern economy.
- More and more people are understanding that entrepreneurship will be key driving force behind the economy in the immediate future.
- Many corporates who have traditionally required some form of commerce-related degree are now targeting diverse students from science, engineering and arts backgrounds – this is an ongoing trend!
- 100% active learning, as opposed passively learning in classes arguably reinforces your ability to learn.
- You will have already been exposed the ‘real’ corporate environment and this is infinitely more valuable than being ‘told’ what the corporate environment is like.
- Perhaps learning from books isn’t your thing – you actually have to ‘do’ something.
- The chance to create the new ‘Facebook’.
- The chance to be a role model for your peers who also want to escape the classroom.
It’ll be worth it in the end
DEGREES: IS EVERYTHING IN THE TEXTBOOK?
The alternative, of course is sticking to education, eventually graduating and seeking those prized graduate job offers from the firm of your dreams. This also has a certain appeal. A lot of people simply don’t have that entrepreneurial spirit – they’ll just stick it out through those classes. Here’s my perspective on these arguably increasingly unimportant degrees.
Why degrees?
- Some jobs, especially many of those in the financial and professional services industry still require employees to have a degree related to the industry.
- Degrees offer students a sense of security, so when things go bad, they at least have some sort of qualification.
- Through university, you have the opportunity to create those all-important networks so that will inevitably be useful once you are in the workplace.
- Degrees keep your options open, to a certain extent – perfect for the students who don’t want to be locked down to a certain career path.
- You have the opportunity to still enjoy life during your early 20’s.
THE SOLUTION
The two options I have listed above are the extreme cases. Nowadays, students are actually being increasingly exposed to more opportunities to supplement your university studies with extra experience. My placement at Pollenizer is a perfect example. Admittedly, it is tough balancing my work commitments with university studies as well as other responsibilities such as extra-curricular. But ultimately, I have been exposed to heaps of areas by being part of the FinOps team which will be infinitely useful in the future.
Everyone needs a foundation
Opportunities for the student in a degree:
- More universities are actually recognising the need for work experience and are implementing various programs that help students enter internships and placements in relevant industries.
- For the student entrepreneurs, universities such as “Sydney University” have various programs, such as Genesis and Incubate, which replicates the startup process.
- These are often supplemented by workshops and experienced mentors.
- Structured like competitions, participants also have the chance to win money and gain invaluable recognition.
- Clubs and societies (student run organisations) also provide students to connect with other keen entrepreneurs.
CONCLUSION
To be completely honest, I don’t think I would be ‘complete’ without some sort of qualification. Though this could my aspirations to enter into financial services upon graduation, but I strongly believe in the value of a degree. However, anecdotes from older peers and employers have also taught me that I’ll need more than a degree – we do what we can to gain that unfair advantage.
Why many university students go through all this