The great success of the human race has been its ability to learn, adjust, adapt and create new knowledge and technologies to ensure its survival both in the present and future. Therefore, continuous learning is the master key to open countless doors, which lead to successful human enterprises and progress. |
Workers must continuously engage in learning because it will ensure their present and future success. Without that end in view, workers may fall prey to the illusion that their formal schooling or college training is sufficient to sustain them throughout the course of their careers. Mortimer J. Adler makes this point in his article, “Schooling is Not Education,” where he states: “For more than 70 years, a controlling insight in my educational philosophy has been the recognition that no one has ever been - no one can ever be - educated in school or college. The reason is simply that youth itself - immaturity - is an insuperable obstacle to becoming educated.”
"Schooling is Not Education"
No recent graduate can call him or herself educated because of his or her immaturity. Adler explains: “Schooling is for the young. Education comes later… The very best thing for our schools to do is to prepare the young for continued learning by giving them the skills of learning… Our schools and colleges are not doing that now…”
Experienced professionals must understand their education didn’t end when they graduated. According to Adler, “When young adults realize how little they learned in school, they usually assume there was something wrong with the school… the fact is that the best possible graduate of the best possible school needs to continue learning…” Therefore, graduates must educate themselves.
“In Five Evidences of an Education,” Nicholas Murray Butler discusses the meaning of self-education. Butler says that self-educating persons acquire mastery of their primary language, develop behavioral etiquette and manners and become introspective. Butler also explains that an educating person’s instinct to learn strengthens, which will expand his or her interests.
Education is Every Worker’s Personal Responsibility
The onus of caring for one’s professional growth is the responsibility of each worker. Though assisting workers in their professional development would be advantageous to an organization, employers aren’t obligated to do so. Workers must continue their education for themselves. In this way, they take charge of their professional growth. Since schooling is only preparation, workers must make the necessary effort to continuously expand their minds.
Workers who initiate their continuing education empower themselves. Continuous education through a variety of means will enable them to make significant contributions to their employers’ short and long term goals. In turn, employers will view these workers as valuable.
Employers See Self-educating Workers as Assets
Workers cannot expect to endure and succeed with only the knowledge they acquired from formal schooling and college because the needs and demands of business constantly change. Therefore, continuous education will expand their knowledge and skills so that they continue to make significant contributions to their employers.
Although workers may perform their duties competently, without “on-going education,” they may be limited in their ability to innovate and create, but workers who can innovate and create are assets. They will also have wider opportunities to move into other areas of professional work because of their ability to contribute on a variety of levels.
Professional Growth is Long Term Investment
Due to the advances in medicine, people are living longer today, and they are working longer as well. Peter F. Drucker states that the average work life is a little more than fifty years because of the new knowledge-worker economy. Most jobs today do not weaken the body as was the case in the old industrial-worker economy. Therefore, people are growing older with fairly good health.
Since this new economy creates a longer work-life, this arrangement may seem disparaging, but there are benefits. For example, men and women have children in their late twenties and thirties today, and a longer work-life means that parents will potentially earn high salaries; therefore, they can better afford to meet rising costs of tuition. Another benefit is better health. Retirement often leads to boredom and feelings of inadequacy, which often leads to poor health. A continuance of work keeps people active and healthy even if one just volunteers.
Nevertheless, workers who do not continue the learning process may less likely possess the skills and knowledge for the future. Overall, continuous education enables workers to maintain peak performance, make significant contributions to their companies and live happier lives.
Resources:
Adler, Mortimer J. Schooling is Not Education. The Mortimer J. Adler Archive.
Butler, Nicholas Murray. Five Evidences of an Education. Library of Science Education and Biography. Volume 3.
Drucker, Peter F. "Managing Oneself." The Harvard Business Review, 1999
"Schooling is Not Education"
No recent graduate can call him or herself educated because of his or her immaturity. Adler explains: “Schooling is for the young. Education comes later… The very best thing for our schools to do is to prepare the young for continued learning by giving them the skills of learning… Our schools and colleges are not doing that now…”
Experienced professionals must understand their education didn’t end when they graduated. According to Adler, “When young adults realize how little they learned in school, they usually assume there was something wrong with the school… the fact is that the best possible graduate of the best possible school needs to continue learning…” Therefore, graduates must educate themselves.
“In Five Evidences of an Education,” Nicholas Murray Butler discusses the meaning of self-education. Butler says that self-educating persons acquire mastery of their primary language, develop behavioral etiquette and manners and become introspective. Butler also explains that an educating person’s instinct to learn strengthens, which will expand his or her interests.
Education is Every Worker’s Personal Responsibility
The onus of caring for one’s professional growth is the responsibility of each worker. Though assisting workers in their professional development would be advantageous to an organization, employers aren’t obligated to do so. Workers must continue their education for themselves. In this way, they take charge of their professional growth. Since schooling is only preparation, workers must make the necessary effort to continuously expand their minds.
Workers who initiate their continuing education empower themselves. Continuous education through a variety of means will enable them to make significant contributions to their employers’ short and long term goals. In turn, employers will view these workers as valuable.
Employers See Self-educating Workers as Assets
Workers cannot expect to endure and succeed with only the knowledge they acquired from formal schooling and college because the needs and demands of business constantly change. Therefore, continuous education will expand their knowledge and skills so that they continue to make significant contributions to their employers.
Although workers may perform their duties competently, without “on-going education,” they may be limited in their ability to innovate and create, but workers who can innovate and create are assets. They will also have wider opportunities to move into other areas of professional work because of their ability to contribute on a variety of levels.
Professional Growth is Long Term Investment
Due to the advances in medicine, people are living longer today, and they are working longer as well. Peter F. Drucker states that the average work life is a little more than fifty years because of the new knowledge-worker economy. Most jobs today do not weaken the body as was the case in the old industrial-worker economy. Therefore, people are growing older with fairly good health.
Since this new economy creates a longer work-life, this arrangement may seem disparaging, but there are benefits. For example, men and women have children in their late twenties and thirties today, and a longer work-life means that parents will potentially earn high salaries; therefore, they can better afford to meet rising costs of tuition. Another benefit is better health. Retirement often leads to boredom and feelings of inadequacy, which often leads to poor health. A continuance of work keeps people active and healthy even if one just volunteers.
Nevertheless, workers who do not continue the learning process may less likely possess the skills and knowledge for the future. Overall, continuous education enables workers to maintain peak performance, make significant contributions to their companies and live happier lives.
Resources:
Adler, Mortimer J. Schooling is Not Education. The Mortimer J. Adler Archive.
Butler, Nicholas Murray. Five Evidences of an Education. Library of Science Education and Biography. Volume 3.
Drucker, Peter F. "Managing Oneself." The Harvard Business Review, 1999