With so much focus on careers and education these days, does anybody stop to think that there is such a thing as qualifications becoming out of date?
You would think not, but I’m here to tell you they can. In fact, I am living proof 🙁 .
When Qualifications go Out of Date …
I graduated from tertiary education nearly 30 years ago. Back then (in the dim dark ages, LOL), it was called “college”, rather than uni. Strike One.
After three years of full time study, I was awarded a Diploma of Teaching. Of course, since then teaching has become not only a four year course, but also a degree. I can’t help feeling my hard won diploma is barely worth the paper it’s printed on now – did you know that you can gain a diploma after a one week “boot camp” of study these days?!
To add further insult to injury, not only would I not be able to gain a teaching position with such an out of date qualification (not that I’d want to!), but I’d have to undertake an extra year of study to achieve my Bachelor of Education. For some funny reason (like that fact that I quit teaching eons ago), I’m really not interested in doing that. Strike Two.
Even the college I went to, no longer exists! Brisbane College of Advanced Education (BCAE) was absorbed by QUT – Queensland University of Technology – not long after I left, but the that particular campus was closed altogether a few years ago as the powers-that-be decided to centralise things they could make more money selling the site. Strike Three … and I’m out. Out of date. Or at least my qualifications are!
I guess this is one of the downsides of getting older – your qualifications go out of date 🙁 .
Please tell me I’m not alone – is there anybody else out there suffering from this indignity?!
Yes! I did a Library Practice Associate Diploma at Tafe straight out of high school. I was considering updating it earlier this year, thinking perhaps I could just do a few units/subjects to add to it. Apparently I would have to do full time study for at least a year and it would cost something like 9 grand, since they’ve changed the costs of Tafe study! Bugger that! I think I had a similar perm in my graduation photo, btw LOL
It’s so annoying isn’t it Ness, though I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who is “outdated” …
YES! I look absolutely terrible on paper as a result. Not that I’ve had to produce a CV/Resume in 20 years. Here’s hoping that doesn’t change.
It’s been about 13 or 14 years for me. Aren’t you studying something at the moment? I’m about to enrol in a Diploma of Digital Marketing which I’m actually excited about, the qual is just a bonus 🙂
The good news for me now is that because I never gained any tertiary qualifications until I was 30 I have another 10-15 years to go until they’re out of date! Mind you, that was only a Certificate III, so I dare say the skills I gained will be out of date in less time than that. Thankfully I’m now working towards a degree, which trumps any effort I made, or didn’t make, since leaving high school 30 years ago. PS: I love your photo 😉
I look very young in that photo is what I think!!! I have to say, despite not teaching and being “out of date”, that I have never regretted getting my Dip Teach – it has opened doors for many of the jobs I’ve actually had along the way, believe it or not.
I started at UQ in 1985 studying Commerce. I hated it and stuffed about and did some journalism then back to Commerce before deferring and eventually doing psychology because my life back then was all about sport and I wanted to be a sports psychologist.
By the time I finished psych I wasn’t sure I even wanted to work in the area and several years after working in the social sector I did an MBA with a focus on project management. But of course the stuff I studied in 1998 (when I graduated) is SO different to today’s ideology.
I’m actually not sure Uni prepped me for much at all really…..
I don’t regret doing my Dip T, despite not actually teaching for longer than 3 months, and being “out of date” … it has definitely helped me get some of the jobs I’ve had along the way. I’m actually planning to start a Diploma of Digital Marketing shortly and am really looking forward to it, the qual is just a bonus!!!
Hi Janet,
I”ve been reading your blog for a few months. Didn’t know you used to be a teacher. I’m a teacher too. I started teaching in 1986 and find it funny that today’s teachers have a degree. They actually do less weeks and hours at uni than I did to earn my diploma. I think uni just makes it four years to charge more fees. Like you I’m a January baby and finished year 12 at 16. I did my first year at uni and then took 2 years break. I met my husband when I went back to uni. I think it was meant to be. I was 22 years old when I started teaching. I’m still teaching and although it has its challenges I still enjoy it. Though I must say I’m looking forward to the next 2 weeks of school holidays.
Hi Erica, so lovely to hear from you! I finished my Dip Teach in 1986, so you must have been one year ahead of me 🙂 . I remember we used to think it unfair that BA students got a degree, it was a very lightweight tertiary option compared to the hard work we did at teacher’s college. Don’t know if that’s still the case though. Enjoy your holidays, I only taught for 3 months but it was enough to show me I definitely wasn’t cut out for it, and I know you guys deserve it!