What Matters More: Skills or Degrees? | Information and digital literacy in education via the digital path | Scoop.it

We increasingly hear employers, prospective students and futurists saying that it is all about the skills, not about the degree. What does that mean for higher ed?

July 10, 2019
 

Historically, employers made the baccalaureate, and in some cases advanced degrees, the gateway to an interview. If you did not hold the sheepskin, you would not get in the door. But times have changed. Rapidly advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, robotics and the advent of quantum computing have created an environment in which much of what is learned in college becomes outdated in a few short years. Certainly, the soft skills of creative thinking, critical thinking, communication and leadership do not go out of date and remain in demand by employers. But the hard facts and skills of most of the disciplines are changing as technology ripples through the economy and society.