Master degree : is it worth ? (for indonesian student)
Today, We see a zillion student are wishing to take master degree, specially taking master abroad. This trend is analogues with many scholarship opportunity available, such us LPDP, fullbright, Australian Award. Specially LPDP which provide a large amount of money and quotas. But, is taking master degree is worth for you ?
Firstly, many people specially lecturer and student think that master degree is a profitable investment for the future. One of my university professor said that in the next decade master degree is a standard requirement for having a good job. At this era, a lot of big company require their workers come from prestigious university. With the huge amount of master degree available for the next ten years, it’s very possible for them to put a master degree in the requirement.
Secondly, we will face challenge on South east Asian economic union where all SEA’s people can work anywhere inside this region, freely. For now, It is a pathetic fact that our labor, even those people who graduate from top universities, has a lower hard and soft skill if we compare it with Singapore or Malaysian labor. Master degree will grow the population of skillful human resource. as a result, Indonesian worker will be ready to compete with foreigner. Also, the number of vacancy will increase so the unemployment rate will plunge because a lot of natural resource, young workforce and knowledge which can be used to create a ton of business.
Furthermore , studying abroad will enrich your personal life. I’ve seen a lot of people who gotten wiser and open minded after life abroad. Not just that, you can see a problem from new perspective or even inspired by advance country which will become a great asset in your future career. As like a fruit in the tree, sometimes people pick it up and wait it for few months to wait it to ripen. Here, the waiting
Also, having a master degree is a great potential when you fed up or fired from working in a company. you can always have an opportunity to work in education level.
But, is it master really have a big impact in industry . For now, it seems that that industries are feeling adequate with the current workforce which consist of large bachelor degree people. It’s very rare for me to see a company that require their applicant to have a master degree. Not just because they can’t pay the master degree higher, but also they don’t know how to use their advance skill in their company.
From my experience, I have seen a lot of abroad universities’s alumni who came back to Indonesia after finishing their study, and they are in misery to find a good job that use their skill. then, most of this people will apply for an undergraduate level job and probably working at the same level as undergraduate; their master degree is useless. This is happened because industry require a skillful person which already face many challenges when working in an area for many years, not just master degree student who has no experience at all. After all, if you want to focus on industry then skill is more important than school. It’s doesn’t mean that master degree skill is not good, but as far as I know working in real problem will give more effect on your skill; in contrast, master will give you academic and research skill.
So if you are really want to work in industry, it’s better to spend your time in company than just go to master degree. But, if you have a topic that you really want to mastered after working for some years, it will become a big advantage for you and the company you working on. Further, taking another major like management or business is very useful for you, specially engineer. Because that skill is very demanded for an entrepreneur or middle level company. As you know Indonesia is desperate about entrepreneur.
In conclusion, you should contemplate whether it’s best for you to work or master degree, because it will decide your future. Master degree is about approaching your end goal, if working in industry in Indonesia is your future goal then just stay working and improve your skill. Personally, I think people should work 2–3 years before taking master degree because they will know what is the purpose of their study, and finally they can implement it.
