Education is something of a luxury - it’s expensive, not everyone has the privilege of having it, and it’s something of high value.
Photo: Asia One
Screenshots of a confession posted on IIUM’s confession page recently went viral on Twitter. For this anonymous GrabFood driver with a PhD, despair and depression is a very real issue he is going through. He completed his PhD in Bioprocessing back in 2017, and has been looking for a job ever since then only to be faced with multiple rejections. Their reasons each time were that he is overqualified for the job.
He added that being 32 without a stable job and income, he fears every single day and feels bad for his parents who still have to pay for his 3 younger siblings’ education while he can only afford to support himself.
The confessor lamented that he is beginning to regret the 8 years of education he spent in the pursuit of his Master’s degree and PhD, which he could have used to build a stable career instead. In comparison with his friends who are already at a stable place in life, he has nothing.
What’s even more heartbreaking to read is that he feels cynical towards those who say that they continued studying for the love of knowledge. He admitted that he used to be the same, but where has that thirst for knowledge led him?
To him, the love for knowledge is simply not worth the financial costs and that post grad is only suitable for those who are skilled in a particular field. He also asked that professors and lecturers encourage their students to work and gain experience first instead of prioritising their KPIs.
There is knowledge to be gained everywhere - not just in universities, but also in factories and offices. He further encouraged students to work first because, according to him, “efforts in the post graduate laboratory will only be contained within the books in the library”, whereas working benefits everyone around you.
While there were many who pitied him and prayed for the best of luck, there were others who pointed out that post grad studies has always been for people with working experience or who have a foundation in a career. Some questioned his decision to pursue a PhD without work experience, especially in such a niche field. At the same time, one Twitter user replied saying that he is a Master’s graduate and managed to secure a job with much more ease than when he only had a degree. He added that if one decides to pursue a Master’s degree, the graduate should know how to “sell themselves” to the hiring manager upon graduating.
There is truth to all sides of the story, and all we can say is that you should always plan ahead and know what you are getting yourself into before making any decisions.
By: Celestine Foo
