Introduction
Technological advancements and inventions have made education easy through e-learning, among other online activities. Technology has bolstered formal education, helped save reading time, and improved education quality. Formal education is a structured learning system running from primary school to university. Furthermore, the educational system involves specialized vocational, technical, and professional training programs. Although formal education is primal for career success, technology has intervened, making formal education unnecessary for career success. Tech companies’ leaders of the leading tech companies have demonstrated how formal education is unnecessary. Although education is significant for career development, a combination of formal and non-formal education is crucial for a successful career inside and outside law enforcement.
Importance of Formal Education
Formal education is a topic of much introspection and controversy. However, many people favor the education system due to its insurmountable advantages in life and career development. Through formal education, learners learn from credentialed experts who are masters in their craft (Purtilo-Nieminen et al., 2021). Consequently, the professors tell the learners what is vital, making the students emphasize essential topics. The lecturers evaluate students’ work and suggest critical improvement areas. Furthermore, the learners get credentialed degrees and certificates that make them ready for the job market. Although formal education is a panacea for unemployment, technology has intervened by creating more lucrative jobs than jobs requiring formal education.
Technology and Education
Technological advancements have ruled out the necessity of formal education since learners can self-teach themselves and acquire better knowledge than in class. Complicated technical skills are available on online platforms where learners can access anytime at the comfort of their homes. For instance, coding, search engine optimization, Adobe Photoshop, and foreign language skills can be learned online without expert guidance. Unlike formal education, online learning platforms are unstructured and involve automated evaluations that help learners track their learning progress. Many people, including Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Steve Jobs, dropped out of the formal education system but became successful in the tech industry. Therefore, while many contend that formal education is primal for career development, technical industries require more than formal education.
Formal Education: Not Synonymous with Success
People who believe in creating employment, being creative, and becoming entrepreneurs appreciate the freedom from formal education and make bad employees. It is widely accepted that persons with advanced education, up to Master’s degrees, attract lucrative employment. However, the perception of ‘getting employed’ is old since many people are venturing into new businesses and creating jobs through self-learning. For instance, Bill Gates attended Harvard University for two years before building Microsoft (Yoffie & Cusumano, 2021). The company employs thousands of people who have gone through formal education. Therefore, it is ironic that a person studies for about 25 years and becomes confined behind a desk making money for someone who broke out of the formal education cycle for 30 years. Formal education is not synonymous with success since it does not contribute to social development, growth in developing countries, and a stable lifestyle.
Social development involves any activity that improves the well-being of all individuals in society. Formal education is on the frontline of educating the students on effective social interactions in society. However, some individuals have helped solve societal problems without formal education. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have developed innovative ideas in the tech world that have helped solve communication problems in society. Furthermore, their inventions have created jobs for many people in the world. Meanwhile, human rights activists like Malcolm X have helped solve social injustices without formal education. Formal education has not absolutely engineered social development.
Formal education implies being granted potential employment with a stable income. However, employment does not necessarily come from formal education but individual talents and hard work. Although formal education assures employment for a stable lifestyle, many people have utilized their skills and talents to have a stable lifestyle. Microsoft one of the leading technology companies was formed by Bill Gates who lacked formal education. Furthermore, Dell Inc. was founded by Michael Dell who dropped out of college at 19 years. The companies provide the founders and their families with stable incomes that enable them to live a quality lifestyle. Celebrated artists like Dustin Yellin, Ai Weiwei, and Jasper Johns are among the richest artists who never went through the formal education system (Yellin, 2018). Employment may not be an assurance for a stable lifestyle since many people without formal education have stable lifestyles.
Envisioning My Career Future
Although a law enforcement career requires formal education, unique skills and knowledge are vital for a successful career. A high school diploma is a minimum requirement for most police officers. However, I may need a bachelor’s degree for advanced law enforcement positions at the Federal level. Technical skills are crucial in law enforcement, especially in investigative activities. The technical skills can be gained outside formal education and added to my career. For instance, I can learn forensic skills on various online platforms. Furthermore, interacting with various criminals requires social skills that I can learn without formal education intervention. I anticipate being an effective law enforcement officer who can deal with matters inside and outside my career with informal and formal education. Therefore, formal education is necessary for a law enforcement career, but informal education can help me become a more effective officer.
Conclusion
Technology has enabled the acquisition of skills through formal and informal education settings. The formal education system allows learners to be taught by experts who access and evaluate their performance. Through formal education, the learners are enlightened about social and economic issues important to society. However, formal education is not always necessary for a successful career. For instance, social development, growth among developed countries, and stable lifestyles have been archived without formal education. Famous people like Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Dustin Yellin have made it in life without formal education. While a law enforcement career requires formal education, technical skills can be gained without formal education. Therefore, I envisioned myself as a successful law enforcement officer with skills and knowledge gained through formal and informal education.
References
Purtilo-Nieminen, S., Vuojärvi, H., Rivinen, S., & Rasi, P. (2021). Student teachers’ narratives on learning: A case study of a course on older people’s media literacy education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 106, 103432. Web.
Yellin, D. (2018). A constant state of migration.The Georgia Review, 72(2), 441-452. Web.
Yoffie, D. B., & Cusumano, M. A. (2021). Strategy rules: five timeless lessons from Bill Gates, Andy Grove, and Steve Jobs.