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Introduction
Millennia after the Athenians first limited their democracy only to voters who were educated, the titanic waves of innovation that engulf society decade by decade continue to strike at the question of what college education should accomplish.
On College Education as Skills Training
Occupational Skills are Vital
College should mostly be about technical preparation for a white-collar or scientific career. Thus, business majors plow their way with a will through required courses in calculus, statistics, business writing, organizational theory, end-user software, production, quality control, supply chain management, marketing, and ethics (or corporate social responsibility). It is the same for all laboratory and pure science courses, whether in the natural or social sciences.
Training in Information and Communications Technology
The present cohort of youth aptly termed “generation Y” or the “Millennials” have reaped the benefits of giant strides since desktop computers were invented by IBM in the 1980s, laptops and mobile phones the following decade, and in this century, the proliferation of “Web 2.0” technology over the Internet. Never before has so much data and published professional work been accessible online.
College is therefore the last chance before trying for a career to learn about the existence of professional journals and other credible sources in subscription databases. Now is the time to learn about spreadsheets, presentation and statistics programs, as well as the network engineering that is behind the working of local networks, Wi-Fi zones and the Internet itself.
The Greater Value of College Education Lies in the Humanities and Critical Thinking
Post-College Life Outside Work and Career
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Diversity and Globalization
College education cannot be all about required courses. Non-discrimination legislation aside, university campuses today already evince the rich ethnic diversity that is a precursor to the mainstream white majority comprising just 48% of the national population by the year 2050. Tertiary-level education is an excellent opportunity to learn about the cultural and literary heritage that Africans, Hispanics, Asians and Eastern Europeans bring to the table.
The leaders in American industry, financial and other services are all globe-spanning operations, in only because they outsource overseas to cut costs. Preparing to for business therefore means knowing the historical and nationalist sensibilities that characterize one’s counterparts in other countries.
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The Well-rounded Person
College education must be a healthy synthesis of comprehension, logic and debate. A generation that grew up with religion and intelligent design legislated out of the classroom risks leaving college with a wholly materialistic and self-centered ethical sense. This youth cohort is unlikely to understand why society and the family will want to care for the elderly, infirm and the mortally ill instead of conveniently pulling the plug. And college students need to understand ‘corporate social responsibility’ means avoiding the moral hazard and lack of corporate ethics that laid Enron low and helped the likes of Hong Kong Bank, Fannie Mae or Citibank plunge the American economy into the current recession.
Because Learning Never Stops: Reading and Critical Thinking
A liberal education has long been considered the most promising preparation for the well-rounded entrepreneur or manager of tomorrow. Recently, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (1) reiterated the aims of education in terms of being predisposed to continue learning after college, to be intellectually resilient in the face of debate or ceaseless innovation, and to be ethical about the consequences of personal or corporate acts. To grow into responsible, productive, and creative individuals, the AACU believes, is to comprehend rational inquiry about the natural world and human society.
Conclusion
There is certainly a need for college graduates with the requisite technical skills to man the computer laboratories and R & D ‘think tanks’ of corporate America. As well, the value of a broad college education – encompassing humanities, social science, science, quantitative methods, and ethical reasoning – lies in producing well-rounded graduates who understand their national heritage, are convinced that civic engagement is also a worthwhile goal for business, broadens our perspectives and imbues every citizen with the needed combination of critical and constructive response to change. One therefore concludes that the primary function of college education is in fact preparing for the world of work.
Works Cited
American Association of Colleges and Universities. Liberal Education. Cited in: Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System, A Liberal Education Defined. 2009.
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