We’ve reached a point where every job seems to require a degree. Not long ago, a secondary school certificate could get you a job. Then it was a college diploma, then a degree. In the blink of an eye, you need a master’s. Surely, we are all one thesis away from becoming office messengers.
This is academic inflation. Now, you need a degree to post memes or make PowerPoint slides. The job market keeps raising the bar, not because the work got harder, but because too many people have the same paper. The result is a generation of overqualified professionals competing for petty jobs.
To be fair, degrees have value. They teach structure and theory. They also give you a chance to wear a robe and take selfies with your people. Cool stuff. But in a world that worships certificates, we are starting to forget that skill still pays the bills. The guy who dropped out of college is now CEO of Meta with billions of dollars to his name. Meanwhile, those with two master’s degrees are running his Facebook page.
Skills don’t need graduation gowns. They need curiosity and access to YouTube tutorials. The best marketers, designers, and developers aren’t busy with professors; they are on YouTube right now. The balance lies in knowing what you need.
Some careers of course, demand formal education. You don’t want a self-taught surgeon opening your stomach or a YouTube-trained pilot flying your jet. But if your job involves creating TikToks, maybe you just need a sense of humour and a smartphone.
So yes, study if you must. But remember, the man who dropped out of college made the iPhone you are bragging about. The future doesn’t belong to the most educated, but to the most skillful and creative.
