Which Education Route is best for our Child?

Which is best for our child, Academic path? Design/Art path? or Both of them?

I would argue, none of them.

Based on my experience who graduated from an engineering degree, then worked as a strategic management staff and afterward founded a business in Packaging Design. I know that most of the problem happens in the workplace is about communication, not hard-skills.

If you put a designer, an engineer and a sales in a closed room with a coffee machine, most of the problem with disappear. It’s not necessarily that the designer learn how to code a language, or that the saleswoman finally understand the Photoshop Etiquette; something else happens. They develop empathy toward each others work. They ask each other. They find similarities of their craft, which is creativity. Which so happens only attributed to a designer.

Shift The Focus

So, perhaps, rather than focusing on what courses should my child take everyday, we should focus on softer skills, on improving collaboration and communication from a holistic perspective. Learning the many disciplines is only a part of this.

It is hard because it is not quantifiable. It can’t be directly measured. But, as I believe you agree, it is more important. The emphasis should be on collaboration, not the school grade.

The world needs our children, who has been taught to see beyond job description… to also feel empathy toward their colleagues and client.

The world needs our children, who has been nurtured with character of persistence that eager in collaborating with other discipline. Appreciate other people’s craft and take extra mile building communication with them. Even if that means they have to learn a bit about alien things. Well, even Steve Jobs was able to perform Accounting, wasn’t he? 🙂

The world needs our children, whose action is full of creativity. Which means we as the parent has to give as many options as we could from early age. If that means musical or sport course, then give it a shoot. But don’t put too much pressure on them.

Therefore, they can specialize in what they love, and learn what sparks their creativity and curiosity. In the end, they’ll learn whatever helps them to execute their vision or opens up a world of possibilities.

Our world and theirs in the future are different. The question is, are we ready to put our faith on them and change our ideal?