What Does a Degree Have to Do With It? Absolutely Nothing!

I applaud those individuals who have the fortitude and willingness to carry the financial burden that comes with earning advanced degrees. It takes a tremendous amount of hard work and effort to achieve that expert knowledge base. However, once outside those hallowed academic halls, what does that degree do for you? 

It may open doors for employment, or it may not. How many of us have found that, once we attained a career in our chosen profession, we went back to square one? What we learn in college is a great foundation; however, we then must acquire a new skill set, language, and competence level based on a company’s policies, processes, and standards. 

So, you dig in. You work hard. You develop a new knowledge base and receive recognition for experience. When you’re considered for promotion or a more responsible position, what does your degree have to do with it? Absolutely nothing! Your supervisor will determine whether your performance warrants a salary increase or new position using your job performance—not accomplishments achieved before you were hired. 

Excellent employees are serious about continuous learning, which includes staying current in their field. They become involved in professional associations that address the latest industry trends. They also validate new skills through certificate or certification programs. 

There seems to be confusion about the difference between certificate and certification programs. In addition, the terms certification, credentials and designation are also often confused or used incorrectly. Please see the information, summarized from a University of Michigan source document, explaining the difference: 

• certification is a process that results in credentials.

• credentials attest to knowledge and/or authority; credentials can be a degree earned (MBA) and/or a list of published papers

• designation simply refers to the letters used after one’s name, such as PhD, CPA., PMP, or CPLP. 

A certificate is awarded by education programs and/or institutions conducting courses with a specific focus and course content that has been validated through a defensible analysis of the topic area, such as faculty committee, dean/instructor, and so forth. 

This certificate is the result of completion of an educational process for novices or more experienced participants. It indicates completion of a course or series of courses as well as demonstrated knowledge of the course content at the end of a set period of time. A certificate may also be the basis or part of a degree program.

Certification results from an assessment process, usually undertaken by experienced professionals, to demonstrate mastery/competence as measured against a defensible set of standards. Those standards are set through a defensible, industry-wide process (job analysis/role delineation resulting in an outline of required knowledge and skills). Upon demonstration of this mastery/competence, by application and/or exam, certification is awarded by a third-party, standard-setting organization.

Certification also has on-going requirements. The holder of this certification must demonstrate that they continue to meet these requirements. For example, registered nurses must complete continuing education resulting in continuing education units (CEUs) to maintain their licensure. Certification also results in a designation to use after one’s name and a document or wallet card attesting to this certification; for example, a Project Management Professional (PMP). Certification has no relationship to higher education or degree.

For those who have achieved a certain level of mastery of talent acquisition and development, the Association for Talent Development’s certified professional in learning and performance (CPLP) certification program validates competence against standards set through a defensible, industry-wide process, with ongoing requirements to maintain the certification. The ranks of those who achieve this level of mastery, and the CPLP, will continue to grow. I encourage those working as learning and development professionals to consider becoming a CPLP. 

Learn more about the CPLP Certification.