Is Higher Education Worth It?
What better place to post this then to where we all congregate worldwide.
I am seriously contemplating going to graduate school to get a Master of Science in Food Science and Master of Business Administration (Joint). However, school is getting ridiculously expensive, and I'm trying to weigh out the advantages of doing this and how soon I can get my ROI (Return on Investment). Usually the answer would be yes but after thinking about the requirements from most job postings in the field of QA/Food Safety Management level all they really ask for is "experience" and some kind of B.A./B.S. in some science field " or related" and some knowledge of some GFSI scheme... Check Check and Triple Check
...sooo do any of you see an advantage of getting a Master of Science in Food Science?
If you want to go corporate level, such as a National Director, or major corporation. Then perhaps worth it. But your right it is pricey, especially depending on where you go. I have considered as well but not sure I will get ROI either.
Uuugh, it's totally not :( Bachelors is sufficient for most positions and the higher level corporate usually want experience / PhD if you get high enough. For science ...masters...are like "Gee, you're smart, just not smart enough to work here".
If you already have a bachelors in FS and experience, a Masters in business is probably more valuable (And major in business) . It opens up more management / large group positions.
But really, isn't' the value what you learn while you're there? You aren't paying for a piece of paper you're paying to really understand food science, so if that's your passion....
I wish I lived in a world without $ so I could be a perpetual student :)
I think it can (potentially at least) open the doors to a whole new salary band!
I have attended University a few times over the years for various courses -and with hindsight, I pretty much have come to the conclusion that I did just pay for the piece of paper (but to be fair- those pieces of paper have served me quite well!)
-the only transferrable skills I learned whilst there was how to assimilate large amounts of data and find the good stuff(!) & using Microsoft Excel & that was self taught to complete various assignments!
(Everything useful other than that I have learned on the job-or from places like IFSQN or private research!)
Mike
I wish I lived in a world without $ so I could be a perpetual student :)
Or win the lottery so money doesn't matter anymore...
I think Magenta is right though. Hell we had a corporate quality person over our plant that had a degree in something business related like design or some crap and she got into her position through work experience... The funny thing was she was over our quality manager at the plant and the guy that had like 20 years of quality lab experience and was the first tech at the plant wasn't "qualified" enough to be quality manager at the plant even though he did the former QM's job 1/2 the time before we had a replacement.
I usually contemplate school when I am frustrated with working!!
I think it all depends on what you want to get out of your career. I got my MBA and it definitely opened up jobs to me, but I was able to do that by working and going to school, locally, at night. If you already have solid FS experience, are passionate about what you can contribute, I don't think a very expensive degree is going to change your life. That said, continuing education is important, and there are lots of ways to get it, without committing to returning to a graduate degree program.
Good luck!
I think it depends on your area of expertise and where your are located logistically. I have found that a BS and Experience are often times much more helpful in a county/rural setting where the opportunities aren't as abundant. This is also the case if you do not want to relocate to a metropolitan area. Where as if in a metropolitan area or are willing to relocate it maybe beneficial because there are more candidates.
From a hiring stand point, I would much rather hire someone with experience in Food Safety and/or SQF than hire a fresh college graduate. Book smarts are important, but hands on practical knowledge can be invaluable.
Sometimes the graduate degree can be limiting. In a slow market and you need a job, it may be tough to be hired by the guy with only a BS because you could be a threat.
No offense to the MBA people, but so many people have them my reaction to an MBA is, akin to, "do you want fries with that".
But Mr. I is right, too often it is the degree (which isn't relevant) that gets the job.
So guess the bottom line is that is has a lot of pros and cons.
Sometimes the graduate degree can be limiting. In a slow market and you need a job, it may be tough to be hired by the guy with only a BS because you could be a threat.
No offense to the MBA people, but so many people have them my reaction to an MBA is, akin to, "do you want fries with that".
But Mr. I is right, too often it is the degree (which isn't relevant) that gets the job.
So guess the bottom line is that is has a lot of pros and cons.
Also when you have a advanced degree in a slow economy if the company thinks you are reaching down they may not hire you for fear that you'll leave when jobs open up again... or if they have a bunch of canidates they may pass you over because they can pay someone with a BS less than a MS or Doctorate.
Also when you have a advanced degree in a slow economy if the company thinks you are reaching down they may not hire you for fear that you'll leave when jobs open up again... or if they have a bunch of canidates they may pass you over because they can pay someone with a BS less than a MS or Doctorate.
You got that one right.
Also when you have a advanced degree in a slow economy if the company thinks you are reaching down they may not hire you for fear that you'll leave when jobs open up again... or if they have a bunch of canidates they may pass you over because they can pay someone with a BS less than a MS or Doctorate.
Your last point is what worries me the most. The whole, "You're over qualified". It makes sense to get the degree to move up within the company, but how marketable or overqualified are you when you want to make a transition into another company? (If the time comes "in case my employer is spying on me")
I went to the informational seminar they had on the Masters program and I asked the question, "How will this benefit me?" The teacher/speaker had suggested, since I already have a management position and have experience, I should get an MBA and leave out the Masters for Food Science. Because guess what Snookie, most people do want fries with that because fries are delicious. No for reals I love fries.
Companies will know you have the technical skills because you have a B.S. "science degree" and can get really good at BS (the other sense of the word) with an MBA to show you have the skills to integrate with those that are in charge of making the company grow i.e. marketing, new product development, budgeting etc. which as many of you have mentioned not get overlooked when they're looking for someone to move up.
Your last point is what worries me the most. The whole, "You're over qualified". It makes sense to get the degree to move up within the company, but how marketable or overqualified are you when you want to make a transition into another company? (If the time comes "in case my employer is spying on me")
Well, it's more like, "Gee, I'm worth / could make 80k a year and I don't want to work for half of that" Pay report websites say QA Manager jobs average around 80k, but in reality, I've found that range is really for huge companies/ director positions. On the floor QA Manager stuff I've seen offered up on job sites seems to average 40-60k / yr for a growing business (but maybe I was just looking in the wrong places XD)
Yeah... see I make well under the ~80-100k range I saw on there... I'm actually under what it says for the bottom 10th percentile. However I took the job for the title and experience (and to make safe food of course). But I have no degree so I had very little to negotiate with. I would be happy with an associates in micro or bio to back up my experience with but I can't do homework... I suck at going to school. I'm much better at learning on the job.
Dear IFSQN member,
I understand your concerns regarding costs, as an MSc is expensive and also very time consuming. However weigh up the pro's and con's carefully. An alternative to face-2-face lecturing would be an online MSc programme. These offer very similar material, however as there are no actually lectures are considerably cheaper - but usually require you to conduct more background research. For example, our University offers an online MSc Food Science & Technology programme for £4500 or about $7300 (http://filo.org.uk). I am not trying to 'sell' you our programme as I am sure other Universities offer similar, however this could be a much cheaper option for you.
If you do decide to go for it (either online or lecture based), do a thorough research of what the programme entails. Does it offer visits to food manufacturing companies? what optional modules are available? is there any feedback from other students that have done the same programme? etc...
I can't say in America, however in the UK and Europe, higher qualifications go a long way for senior job positions and fast tracking promotions so if you are lacking in this area, it could be worth considering.
Good luck what ever you decide.
Simon
I went for a Masters Certificate in Food Safety and Defense through Great Plains IDEA. It's not as big of a commitment or expense as pursuing an MS but I still benefited greatly. The cost was about a grand a course but the number of courses is fewer than a traditional MS program. The classes are all online so you can take them regardless of your location and basically on your own terms. I was able to complete the requirements as a working single parent. You still have to be accepted to one of the universities that participate in the program so your certificate is from that university.
I also was able to convince my employer to send me for Food Defense Coordinator Certification through AIB. There are so many options out there to further your education/knowledge without the expense and commitment of a masters program.
I haven't searched for a new job yet as I'm happy where I am and it's important to me to stay put until my son is grown but it is something more that I have in addition to 15 years of experience in the industry.