Have you ever wondered why it is vital to crush through college years to get a job? Then you would have also wondered if there was a shortcut that would allow you to see if or not you’d enjoy the course before committing to it for 4 or 5 long years. Or maybe you don’t like to study but want to start working fast! Then your answer is here. And it’s diplomas!
If long study hours, multiple examinations and semesters of assignments is not your forte, diplomas are the god-sent shortcuts you are looking for.
What is a diploma?
A diploma is “a qualification granted by vocational education and training (VET) sector or university.” It is typically completed with 12 to 18 months of full-time study. Instead of focusing on a decade-old syllabus, it teaches the students the most relevant information with practical industrial experience.
And the best part? It is growing at par with college degrees. While a college degree focuses on technical knowledge, a diploma makes you job ready faster by focusing on the field’s strengths and giving you a thorough understanding of the industry’s requirements. This makes diploma holders a better hire than degree holders who lack practical experience.
Diplomas can be of both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and encompass a wide variety of subjects which are very specific in contrast to vague college degrees. This vagueness leads them to teach every piece of information available, from history to the future of the subject. At the same time, diplomas focus on the present and have an adaptive and ever-changing syllabus to support the market’s needs.
Why should you go for a diploma?
Of the many benefits mentioned above, a few are usually considered before someone chooses between a college degree and a diploma.
1. Cost efficient
Diplomas cost only a fraction of the cost of a degree, mainly because it is of a shorter span. It is cost-efficient because it’s better than spending years doing a course only to change fields later. Cost is an essential factor that stands as a barrier to education. Diplomas allow all to get an education and train in the vocation best suited to them.
2. Similar results
Studies have shown that students in Australia successfully get jobs after their diplomas with only a minor salary difference from the degree holders. Interviewers and hiring departments are behind in identifying diploma holders as they are ready to assume the role immediately instead of being taught their job.
3. Time management
Since diplomas usually take only a year or two, it helps you to get a job faster. Part-time diplomas ensure time management for those who are doing full-time jobs. After getting a college degree, the incubation or the internship period can be skipped by the diploma holders who are introduced to the industry and its ways. Diplomas are a lifesaver for those who have taken a gap year and want to start earning faster because they’ve to spend less time studying but are still eligible for a job.
4. Job flexibility
Gone are the days when only a suitable educational qualification would promise a job. Diplomas prepare you for the job even before you choose the company, giving you the flexibility to choose the field, subject and department you focus on. If you decide to change your mind a few years later, it is relatively easier to switch jobs or fields.
5. Relevant information
With the advent of science, all fields are making significant progress. Staying in touch with the advancements is necessary for a practical approach. Since a diploma does not have a fixed syllabus, it evolves each year, giving you the most recent information. For example, an engineering degree or course will teach you sums of trigonometry, while a diploma will focus on how to apply trigonometry while building a bridge.
Why is it on the rise now?
Millennials are frequently unsatisfied with their job and refuse to slog through years of a single tedious job. Doing a diploma opens the job market and allows you to shift fields. Companies have also begun identifying diplomas as valid degrees to give jobs to people. They are later assessed by their capability in it rather than a cartload of degrees or job experience. A diploma gives you a hands-on industry feeling, allowing you to find the right job instead of just being the right fit for any job.
With the increase in job opportunities and new fields, many older folks are returning to college to get a degree that will help them do the job they love. For them especially, a year of diploma is the go-to solution instead of a 3-year degree course. Students after their 10th and 12th have also begun shunning the conventional path of the science, commerce and humanities stream and instead want to explore the vast array of diplomas that will help them shape their future in a way that supports their dreams and ideas best.
The concept of college after school is slowly changing, and if you are unsure of your future, instead of joining a college, you could always do a diploma to get a taste of what your subjects would be like and then make an informed decision. The world is becoming fast-paced, and it’s time we adapt to its changing nature and welcome diplomas as the future of studies and college degrees.
