What is more Important? Skill without a Degree or a Degree without Skills? A degree without relevant skills is an empty word. So, to me, skills without a degree is more important than a degree without skills.

A degree that is just "a paper to frame on the wall" has no value and will never get graduates anywhere. The economy is going progressively down in underdeveloped countries because their institutes and universities are graduating these types of students that you indicated in your question, making them not fit to move the work forward or improve their countries and the circle continues.

Skills. Degree is just a piece of paper and a extra record in our academic history. But skills are blessings, a piece of paper cannot compete with God gifted skills/knowledge.

The reason behind the jobless graduates is the lack of skills. Modern world needs skillful peoples instead of various degree holders.

So a big YES for skills.

A degree if properly earn would always enrich one's skill. And a skilled person can always achieve a degree. And the need of these two depends on the situation. Because in a multi layered society like India we can not generalize things so easily.

Both skill and degree are important and complement each other.

A degree holder should have developed skills to succeed

College Degree is not Valuable Without Job Skills.

https://www.moneycrashers.com/is-college-degree-valuable-without-job-skills/

Well, what is more important for whom?

For those who get away with cheating, the first option can be very important...,

or not?

Best regards,

Carlos

Sorry,, I meant to say the second option: A degree without skills.

If the degree is just a paper to be placed in a frame and the student who graduated, did not learn, develop skills, or become fit to join the workforce, what is the value of the degree? Imagine if the majority of the graduates are at these standards, what will be the outcomes? What do you think about the productivity and economy in the country will be?

A degree without skills is a worthless achievement. Both prospects should go side by side if a person needs to succeed.

I agree with Mazin Y Shatnawi. A degree holder should have acquired skills in his/her area of specialization

I think both skill and degree are equally important. Because quite a lot of companies still use the title as an instrument to screen employee candidates. Even if someone plans to become an entrepreneur, it is expected to continue to have more superior knowledge than those who will be led in the company. And no less important is soft skills, because soft skills are of higher value than hard skills because they are more difficult to imitated by machines.

A degree holder is expected to have skills

I think it is better than that to be skilled with the degree

الخيارين مرتبطين مع بعضهما البعض

Both are important

Skills are important and as a result indicate competency in a specific area. The problem is that most of the education in developing countries doesn't not translate into applicable work skills which exhibit competence. For this reason, it is imperative to restructure the education system to provide education which develop competencies instead of mere degree or academic certificates.

Both indicators are necessary to ensure a career perspective.

Hi, I think a good education system would provide both, degree and skills.

I think the two do not differ in their importance

The two must be owned

Depends on the context. Obviously, in sport and some areas pf performance - also business - qualifications are not directly relevant.

So the important issue is the extent to which the skill and qualification align to predict performance. Clearly, scoring goals is a skill that does not require a degree. In the same way that having a UEFA Pro Licence does not guarantee being a successful manager (look at the list of qualified persons).

“The public is indoctrinated to believe that skills are valuable and reliable only if they are the result of formal schooling.” Ivan Illich.

The both is important......

Both of them are important

Both......

As one person told me: "Well, I know that you are standing, but it is not written on you ...". The degree is namely the label. But when it turns out that the degree is not correspond with knowledge and skills, any sane company parted with such a person.

I guess, any one that want to be successful person, then he/she must has the both...

What is more Important? Skill without a Degree or a Degree without Skills? A degree without relevant skills is an empty word. So, to me, skills without a degree is more important than a degree without skills.

Both are important.

Skills without degree is more important. Degree is just no more than a stamp. However., stamp without skills is a dangerous thing. Also, it is important to note that there is no degree without skills... A degree may be fake if it is without skills (expertise/understanding/practicality/...etc). Degree is in fact an authenticity for collection of skills (theoretical +practical ).

University degrees are designed to arm degree holders with competitive skills

agree with Rasha Shakir Nima

Both of them needed

The pure theory means that everything written is true, but we do not know that it can be applied. In practice, everything works correctly, but we do not know why? Therefore, it is required to combine theory and practice in order for the picture to be clear in theory and practice.

Both

Degree certificate without accompanying skills is unworthy

BOTH ARE IMPORTANT!

In most cases, you qualify for the job with the degree, but the skills you have aids in securing the job. For example, if you do not have the DEGREE, you cannot be shortlisted for an interview. And if you get an interview with your degree without the SKILLS, the interview or the job will expose you and you may not last. BOTH ARE REALY IMPORTANT.

Both of them

The problem is that even the most trained specialist and researcher cannot occupy well-deserved positions without an appropriate degree. Therefore, having a degree is often also important.

see late Freeman Dyson

no doctorate, simply Nobel prize

both..

I will chose a degree with skills. But there are only two choices, Skills without a Degree or Degree without Skills. People usually choose Skills without a a Degree, but I choose a Degree without Skills. Because I find that it easier to teach skills to a person or employee who has a degree, than I ask someone or employee to pursue a degree even though she/he has the skills.

I agree with Ghufran Aljuburi. Both are very important

Skill without degree

Skill with out degree

Skill without a degree is more important compared to a degree without skills.

The reason is,

Case 1:

If a person has a degree without skills, that person may not qualify even though the person has a passport or entry pass or degree to apply as per qualification.

Case 2:

If a person has a skill without a degree, he may not qualify to apply as per qualification but may be able to earn on his own based on the skills itself. Here, the salary may or may not compete with the person having a degree but can earn something compared to a person with a degree without skills.

So to conclude, I believe that even though skills without a degree or a degree without skills are the same, but a person with a skill without a degree has at least marginal upper hand over a person with a degree without skill.

Agree with comment of samir G. Pandya

Both skills and degree are very important. Go for both

Agree with the comments

Paul: It depends on a person's field and career. Skills like plumbing, carpentry, brick laying, and electrician do not require a college degree but are very good skills to possess.

But a career in academics and higher education requires a degree. I would suggest that a college graduate without any practical work experience has no skills, only knowledge. But the skills of research and teaching can be learned through practice. So, a career in academics or higher education requires a college degree, with or without skills.

Skill without a degree is more important compared to a degree without skills.

But, many opportunities are open only for people with degrees. Therefore, the degree is important for the actual realization of its capabilities.

Therefore, a degree is a sufficient condition for implementation, and skills are a prerequisite. The employer must combine these factors)

This is a "classic debate" among educational/work-force audiences. Some believe that learning how to do research, synthesize findings, write well and do critical thinking [which are integral to college teaching] can adapt to many environments and learn new skills [that is, those skills provide a base for work]. Personally, I have a B. Sc. and have traditionally believed that learning skills is as important as earning the degree.

I am thankful to all scholars for your valuable input. I have read all valued comments and came to conclusion that my hypothesis about importance of Skill is overwhelmingly projected here by you guys.

I dont undermine the importance of a Degree. Ideally a degree is a reflection of skills and program learning outcomes as well as competencies defined for a particular program. But factually, there is a lot of variation in quality of education, types of curricula, delivery of programs, and maintaining educational standard across the globe.

There are many institutions where skills and competence is not truly embedded in the curricula. Didactic component is dominant whereas practical as well as clinical components are either undermined or their quality is compromised. In such instances, value of a degree is compromised and is superseded by Skills. For example, if a candidate with a software engineering degree is not competent enough to develop a computer program contrary to a non degree holder who possess mastery in software development. In such scenario, the employer will never hire the degree holder and will hire one with skill.

I , therefore, suggest that the academic leaders must review their curricula and embed competence and skills required for that particular program. Later on efforts may be made for effective delivery of the program and transfer of skills to the young graduates followed by strong validation of achievement of the Program Learning Outcomes through direct and indirect assessment methods.

Muhammed,

Nice summary - thank you.

Welcome Dear Dick.

I wish you, your loved ones and all colleagues best of health and luck.

Stay blessed

You need both: skills and degree, but most important are the results you achieve with them.

Which came the first, the checken or the egg?

Beutiful answer by Sami Al-Katib

Both are present , a person who works in the electrical repair shop doesn't have a degree but a electrical degree holder may not know the work which a person do in the electrical repair shop.

Thanks Dr. Yelluripati Srimayi for an excellent example that reflects significance of skill in a poor education system where an electric engineering degree holder fails to do his job but an illiterate electrician can do. This was the purpose of my question to create awareness among scholars that in most of the countries, institutions and program, educational leadership has failed to transfer knowledge and skills among the learners and such systems need to be ovehauled or shu down. Because giving a piece of paper without knowledge is of no value in the job market and contributes nothing to the society excpet confusion, mess, inefficiencies and wastage of resources.

I guess the most important thing is the skill... but if both available then that is great...

Both are important and interrelated.

Both

Dear Dr. Neda Ravankhah

1. One has a degree

2. One has Skills

To whom you will select?

Thanks, Dr. Firas Mahmood Mustafa for your comment. I 100% agree with you. Ibn e Seena, Ibn al Haitham, Glalaio, Aristotle, Sucrate, and thousands of others were skilled legends of their fields but without a degree.

Although I have double Ph.D. degrees, yet I strongly believe that Degrees without skill are just a piece of paper. I would like to select a Skilled candidate even if had never attended school.

Good answers

I think Skill without a degree

Thanks Dr. Hussein J. Hussein . I do agree that Skill is more important than a degree. Just consider the one who produced the first matriculate in this world was not having secondary school certificate, so on the one who produced the first PhD degree holder in this world was not having a PhD degree but was skilled enough to produce a PhD,

I think having skills without a degree is much better in life than having just a degree without any skill!

Both are important, but situation based skill gets the more importance.

Thanks Dear Dr. Md. Abdur Razzak Choudhury. We both are in agreement.

Skill is important

Both degree and skills are important and depend on a person's requirements. Degree is necessary for an academician and skill is necessary for a researcher. However, a renowned person can acquire both the degree and the skill.

Dear Dr. Neda Ravankhah

Thanks, Bayan Khalaf , Exactly the same is my point. If I have to choose among the two, I will surely choose Skills, because a degree is not more than a piece of paper if the one who possesses it is unable to demonstrate the level of skill, which was intended to achieve while enrolling in that degree course.

I think both degree and skills are important if the acquired competence is demonstrated well through communication skills.

Agreed Dear@ Mohammad Aslam Khan. Thanks for your valuable feedback.

In developing countries, degree without skill can work but in the developed world it might not work because they prefer skills not a degree. so, in my opinion, it can vary from country to country.

This is an interesting thread. I'll like to know if there are research works that talk about the debate between skill and degree.

It is certainly a topic that should receive more attention in developing economies where there is a wide gap between degree and competence.

It can also be used to make a case for the skill economy, which in y opinion is where the whole world is going to converge.

I mean, your degree won't save you in the skill economy, your skill competence will. Looking at the scale of integration of the global job market, and the possibilities of teleworking or remote working, an potential employer in the US won't really value a Nigerian potential employee's service if they can not show them through their competence.

I think both degree and skills are important if the acquired competence is demonstrated well through communication skills.

Sir you are absolutely right

Thanks.