Allan Zeman, founder of the LKF Group, goes head-to-head with university guidance counsellor Christy Liang in this month’s great debate
Is a college degree necessary for success in business?
Christy Liang: YES
“I believe that education can and should take many forms, but the most common
[qualification] an employer will look for on a résumé is a bachelor’s degree. In fact, a college degree is not only encouraged, but expected, by HR managers. Some positions require a master’s degree or higher.
As a traditionalist, I’ll always answer ‘yes’ to this question because I believe a university degree provides students with a safety net to fall back on. A degree enables students to at least get their foot in the door— past the HR manager. Whether or not they find success will depend on how well they can learn on the job.
The question ‘Is a college degree necessary for success in business?’ leads people to pause because everyone can think of an exception to the rule. If you ask: ‘Is it mandatory to study economics to work in business?’ the answer is usually a quick and resounding ‘no’. Anyone with the right mindset and motivation can learn anything they want on the internet. I’ve seen students major in science, law and engineering and then excel in business.
The best part of my job as a university counsellor is to see how students make their own way in the world. As technology is rapidly changing societal norms and the face of education, this ‘yes’ may one day become a ‘no’.”
Allan Zeman: NO
“Of course it’s possible to be successful [without a college degree]—I’m living proof of that. I never went to university, but I have six honourary doctorate degrees today [laughs]. But do I encourage people to not go to university? No. It’s not a must, but a university degree does teach people [skills], depending on which industry they want to be in.
If someone is university-minded and wants to go, then by all means go. There is nothing wrong with having a university degree, but a degree does not necessarily mean a better job. There are a lot of people in this world who have not gone to university and have done very well. It’s really up to the individual—whether they are charismatic, smart and have a willingness to make things happen.
I read newspapers and I’m up to date on what’s happening in the world, which helps me make business decisions. I believe in experience, and university can’t teach you experience. University will teach you the principles, but once you leave university and face [real- world problems], the answer won’t be in a textbook. People need to be able to think beyond the book and outside of the box. The more experience you have, the better decisions you’ll make—that [experience] to me is better than a degree.”