Is university just white collar job training?

[Churo1]

So, we all know colleges in Canada (also known to as 'trade schools') are designed to put students into blue collar jobs (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc.). They are advertised this way and this has become commonly accepted knowledge amongst all Canadians. Universities however are advertised as "learning institutions", supposedly not having job-readiness in mind. However looking at many programs (business,economics,engineering,law school, med school, etc.) these are basically training students for white collar office worker jobs. Even students going into programs such as philosophy often ask the question "what job can I get when I graduate..." expecting that their degree will lead to a career. So the question is: Is university simply white collar job training in this day and age?

[pace]

in this day and age? when has it ever been any different?

[Quiggie]

No. I took comp-sci and it was full of theory and concepts that resemble nothing I've seen in the workplace. However, due to me knowing these things they taught me, I am able to learn things I need in the workplace. For example, due to knowing complexity theory and language/grammar theory, I am able to teach myself for example C#. Whereas in a college, they would just teach someone C# directly.

[Churo1]

They offer programming in trade school now? Must be some smart wood workers.

[krozet]

in this day and age? when has it ever been any different?

+1

A good friend of mine is a professor at UWO, she says that it depends on the university... I believe her favorite phrase is "If you can walk, you can go to Brock" So it depends on the school.

[unowned]

universities prepare you for several different avenues to pursue...no one is stopping any of the students from going on to do a masters or a PhD and therefore further the discovery of knowledge in different fields. Its up to the students to make the choice of whether they want to go pursue a career as a white collar worker/blue collar whatever...The fact is that most white collar jobs either require or prefer someone with a university background.

[needinformation]

So, we all know colleges in Canada (also known to as 'trade schools') are designed to put students into blue collar jobs (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc.). They are advertised this way and this has become commonly accepted knowledge amongst all Canadians. Universities however are advertised as "learning institutions", supposedly not having job-readiness in mind. However looking at many programs (business,economics,engineering,law school, med school, etc.) these are basically training students for white collar office worker jobs. Even students going into programs such as philosophy often ask the question "what job can I get when I graduate..." expecting that their degree will lead to a career. So the question is: Is university simply white collar job training in this day and age?

I think the question is a bit silly as well. Universities have ALWAYS been known as white collar traning grounds, in previous years even more so than now modern times. However I can adress your question in this manner....


Colleges can also be white collar training grounds as well, nowdays there are different programs that are being tought in different colleges that gear individuals for office jobs in which a high degree of ethical soundness (at least superficially is expected) .... Of course you have people that go for such things like carpentry etc etc.
University for the most part is very theoretical but it is more deep in terms of the stuff you learn, thus it can be argued that it is better for terms of long term knowledge and creating leaders. However nowdays you can take a lot of office related traning and administrative training in college and end up at a white collar office, not necesseraly meaning that you will be the top white collar person.

These questions are very general. Everything is in terms of perspective of what you are going to do and the job that you will go into. University can also be very technical, there are extremely hard programs like engineering at U of Waterloo that are extremely technical and also theoretical.
Overall I would say that for knowledge, leadership, critical thinking and depth of thinking university is more complete. Even a ****** university will train you to think critically and question things much more so than regular colleges. Community colleges teach you to learn things, perform tasks technically and they teach you a little bit of theory as well. But more often than not thinking deeply, as in like questioning issues and approaching things with a more critical approach is not really something that is even welcomed and fommented by a lot of the students. Community colleges fomment and reflect directly an everyday thinking and attitude that requires practicality, speed over real quality and often bypasses real issues that should be explored a bit further (academic and social issue) all in the name of speed. There is nothing wrong with speed and efficiency, the problem is that there should be a balance of both. Overall community colleges usually have a lot of good stuff to offer, they are good stepping stone to learning but universities (even a ****** one like nipissing or york) offer and encourage more complete way of thinking. Technical thinking, speed (at your pace), critical thinking, theory and efficiency.

[Churo1]

Colleges can also be white collar training grounds as well, nowdays there are different programs that are being tought in different colleges that gear individuals for office jobs in which a high degree of ethical soundness (at least superficially is expected) .... Of course you have people that go for such things like carpentry etc etc.
University for the most part is very theoretical but it is more deep in terms of the stuff you learn, thus it can be argued that it is better for terms of long term knowledge and creating leaders. However nowdays you can take a lot of office related traning and administrative training in college and end up at a white collar office, not necesseraly meaning that you will be the top white collar person.

These questions are very general. Everything is in terms of perspective of what you are going to do and the job that you will go into. University can also be very technical, there are extremely hard programs like engineering at U of Waterloo that are extremely technical and also theoretical.
Overall I would say that for knowledge, leadership, critical thinking and depth of thinking university is more complete. Even a ****** university will train you to think critically and question things much more so than regular colleges. Community colleges teach you to learn things, perform tasks technically and they teach you a little bit of theory as well. But more often than not thinking deeply, as in like questioning issues and approaching things with a more critical approach is not really something that is even welcomed and fommented by a lot of the students. Community colleges fomment and reflect directly an everyday thinking and attitude that requires practicality, speed over real quality and often bypasses real issues that should be explored a bit further (academic and social issue) all in the name of speed. There is nothing wrong with speed and efficiency, the problem is that there should be a balance of both. Overall community colleges usually have a lot of good stuff to offer, they are good stepping stone to learning but universities (even a ****** one like nipissing or york) offer and encourage more complete way of thinking. Technical thinking, speed (at your pace), critical thinking, theory and efficiency.

"But college is producing blue-collar workers. An electrical can not be a white collar worker, like a tiger can not lose its stripes...."
-Confucious

[needinformation]

"But college is producing blue-collar workers. An electrical can not be a white collar worker, like a tiger can not lose its stripes...."
-Confucious

You also have people that do computer engineering and let's not even get that technical, what about CGA traning, those students that want to be accountans, some of them start off in college.

For the most part they do produce blue collar workers but they also produce white collar workers as well.

[Churo1]

That's it. I've had enough of you people treating my thread like it's a public toilet...pissing and shitting all over it.

The truth is: people who go into university do not know how to think. They are taught how to think by very dedicated professors. These professors are similar to the ancient wisemen, single-handedly turning young non-thinkers into thinkers.

Colleges you are just taught how to do a repetitive task while the professor horsewhips you (think ancient Egyptian-like), Churns out woodworkers and/or plumbers.

END OF DISCUSSION.

[vavaju]

No. I took comp-sci and it was full of theory and concepts that resemble nothing I've seen in the workplace. However, due to me knowing these things they taught me, I am able to learn things I need in the workplace. For example, due to knowing complexity theory and language/grammar theory, I am able to teach myself for example C#. Whereas in a college, they would just teach someone C# directly.

Complexity theory and language/grammar theory enabled you to teach yourself C#?



o...k...

[Churo1]

Well Vajaju, one could say university is similar to jedi training...think of it like this and perhaps you won't have such consternation over learning C# after said mental powers were developed.

[Jay Hova]

No, not really. I don't see how a BA in Sociology prepares you for white collar training.

For Engineering, Accounting, CS and other professional programs (Law, MBA, Med, etc) there is a component devoted to professional practice - e.g patient interaction, etc. So, in a way, yes...but not for programs like History or Poli Sci.

And yeah there is Co-Op...

[Churo1]

no, not really. I don't see how a ba in sociology prepares you for white collar training.

For engineering, accounting, cs and other professional programs (law, mba, med, etc) there is a component devoted to professional practice - e.g patient interaction, etc. So, in a way, yes...but not for programs like history or poli sci.

And yeah there is co-op...

you missed the whole point of the thread. Also computer science is not a professional program. Thank you.

[mike24]

you missed the whole point of the thread. Also computer science is not a professional program. Thank you.

Most computer science programs at established universities are recognized as professional software engineering degrees.

After all, software engineering is just a watered down version of computer science.