Australia Samoa Newspaper May 2016 | Page 11

Australia Samoa Newspaper Knowledge is Power 02 May 2016 11 EDUCATION – Just BELIEVE that YOU CAN DO BETTER! T YOU CAN ACHIEVE! he definition of Education is not limited to classroom learning. There are number of academics that could debate this statement, of course, however I do not believe our statement is too far off the mark. There are many definitions of education out there, but the following, as published on www.dictionary.com confirms the meaning of education as… “the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life…” OR “….an enlightening experience…” Of course we can NEVER discount the high value and regard of a primary, secondary or tertiary education, in this society that we live in, and in general, for those “pieces of papers” or certificates/diplomas/degrees/ masters/PHDs, can dictate how much we can potentially earn in wages or salaries, compared to those that do not possess some type of academic institution affirmation of skills/knowledge level. I too come from a family of academics, and have firsthand experience of what that degree can do to your purse, with goals, hard work and perseverance. BUT people learn at different paces, in different ways, and in different times. Some continue school before working. Others do both at the same time. Others defer tertiary studies to work and think about what they want to be, then study at a much later time. We are saying, you learn every single minute of every single day by the things happening or words said around us. Others learn better when they are given a demonstration of the task, rather than reading about it in a manual or text book. We do not learn only from teachers in a classroom setup. In my working experience in the Human Resources field, I have also come across few individuals with not only one, but two or more university degrees under their belts. Of those, I found only some that lacked common sense and knowledge of application. That is, they could not demonstrate that they could apply their learned knowledge to everyday situations. They instead liked to quote the text books as a solution to a problem, rather than taking the theory and using same as a guide to finding a workable or feasible solution. Australian education systems are very well focused on teaching students the skills to analyse and criticize situations in order to realise the BEST options to apply. How you can get a distinction in your grades is dependent on how well you can demonstrate in your assignments and exams, your understanding of the “theories” (or methodologies/strategies) to solve problems at hand. These skills beco- me really handy also in enhancing common sense in one’s life. In my working career, I have also been blessed with being associated with a few very successful high achievers that never went to university. I have learned so much from them. Usually, these non tertiary graduates, are self motivators, or self driven individuals. Their financial circumstances in their families prevented some from getting to university. But it did not stop them from learning. How did they get ahead? They worked extremely hard in the jobs they were entrusted with, and worked their way up. Their employers recognized their valuable contributions in their workplaces and often recommended such individuals to workshops or TAFE courses. Others worked on their jobs and saved money to put themselves through courses. While others worked and paid very close attention to workers that were “seniors” or considered “experts” in their fields. They asked a lot of questions, and they “DREAMED”. They visualised themselves to be better and that they will one day be a “manager”, or “business owner”, or “nurse”, or “mechanic”, or “graphics designer”, a “doctor”, a “caregiver”, “a devout mother”, a “servant of God”, or a well-regarded “Chef” to name only a few. None of these individuals dwelled on their financially disadvantaged situation. If you have a passion/hobby, make something of that passion/ hobby. DO NOT LET others pull you down, or doubt yourself. You have a natural talent? Find out how you can earn money using that talent. While I was at high school, like most kids do, I took on an AVON job and sold a lot of Avon products to just friends at school, our neighbours in our street, teachers, you name it. I calculated what I wanted to earn in commission (my target), then pushed my sales to ensure I achieve my target. While at University, my sister and I could not get AUStudy allowances of more than AUD30.00 a fortnight, just enough to cover our weekly bus passes to classes in the 90’s. Our allowances from the parents did not account for movies or pizza now and then with Uni friends, or the occasional visit to the clubs as most kids would do. So instead of being depressed about it, I ensured my school work was done of course, and then I used to play billiard/pool for money, and type up Master Degree students’ thesis. Back then I charged $0.01c per word, but could basically earn $100-$300.00 per Thesis/assignment. I was very driven as I certainly did not want to miss out on the fun, but at the same time, did not want to burden my parents by asking them for more money. My father used to tell us everyday, “Where there is a Will, there is a Way!” – that means, nothing is impossible when you put your mind, heart, and soul into anything you strive for. IT IS NEVER TOO LATE. If you didn’t go to University, then IT DOES NOT MATTER ONE BIT. Read books about whatever career you want to pursue. If you want to do a trade and be a plumber, GO AHEAD. BUT aim to be at least one of the BEST plumbers in your industry. Plumbers or any trade, can bring in a very steady income for you and your family. Excellent in sports? Train hard or enrol in Little Athletics if you can. Want to be in Construction?