Volume 31 • Issue 09 • September 2006

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Experience versus Education
What will get you hired?

by Elisa Claassen

Patrick O’Shea Feuer first entered Western Washington University as a student in 1984. He now works there as a Human Resources associate. Although he originally had considered a business degree, “due to time and money constraints,” he selected a program that he was interested in that would allow him to graduate in four years rather than the five the business program would have required.
In 1988, he walked away from campus with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and a minor in sociology (statistics). Next step was finding a job – in Bellingham. Retail was what was available.
After several companies went out of business, he found himself with a degree, but unemployed and with decisions to make – “either keep trying to make it in retail, or build upon the skills I had gained in the business and move in a new direction.”
O’Shea Feuer went back to school at night at Bellingham Technical College and graduated in 1997 with a Human Resources Management certificate.
Now as an HR professional, he advises forging ahead to learn new skills, especially as technology continues to change. “I cannot emphasize how important continued education and an open mind when it comes to going a new direction is for an individual.”

What’s out there?
How important is receiving a “good” education and what things should the future employee and their future employer consider in terms of education versus experience in the workplace?
Jan Adams has been employed at Whatcom Community College for 22 years running the Cooperative Education and Internships program. Prior to that she taught and trained prospective employers through state programs.
The one thing to expect is change, she said. Careers that may be “hot” may not be hot a few years later. Electrical engineering is an example of a field whose popularity is linked to the rise and fall of certain industries, such as Boeing and aerospace.
Although the issue of education versus experience is not easily answered and is comprised of complexities, Adams said that there is an expectation that higher incomes do come with increased education – yet it is not always the case. One example is a sales person who makes more money than a trained teacher. The sales person may not have a degree.
But don’t junk that degree yet. HR consultant Kelly Lewis says, “As a whole, I do believe that education will help gain employment more than those who do not have the education. However, education and employment are also subject to the market forces.
“Just look at all the IT (Information Technology) people caught up in the dot.com bust. I used to receive resumes from many of these folks looking for any kind of work, even unrelated to the IT field. I think the key is to keep reinventing yourself by broadening your skill base and staying on top of technological changes.”
Lewis started a Bellingham-based human resource agency in July to consult with primarily smaller businesses in Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties after 16 years of human resources experience in King County.
“If you must leave the workforce for long periods of time, continue to try to keep up on skills,“ she said. “This will increase your chances of staying employed, even through economic downturns.”
While experience or educational needs may vary by employer, the industry may dictate the level of education sought. Lewis said, “In healthcare, the problem the past several years is that there is more demand than supply. Healthcare institutions have implemented tuition reimbursement programs and sought grants to provide the funding to send employees back to school to fill certain critical staff positions.”

Going to school to get a job
Depending on one’s education and career path, a four-year university and a community or vocational college offer different mixes of education and experience.
Over the span of more than a century Western Washington University has evolved from a small teachers’ college to one of the best regional public universities in the Northwest. The average age of Western’s students has remained constant at about 21. Fall 2005 WWU enrollment included 13,076 full- and part-time students, a full-time equivalent total of 12,343.
Majors with the largest number of students are a mix of traditional academics and professional courses of study, including psychology, education, engineering technology, biology, art, finance and marketing, and business management.
In contrast, Skagit Valley College, founded in 1926 in Mount Vernon, had a fall 2005 headcount of 6,294 students with an average age of 32.
SVC Public Information Officer Arden Ainley said that many students are attracted to the Associate in Arts – University and College Transfer pathway. With an AAUCT degree, students complete their first two years at SVC and then transfer to a four-year college or university to complete their remaining two years.
Other students enter the workforce after completing one of SVC’s 24 professional/technical training programs such as nursing, medical assistant, marine maintenance technology, administration of justice, fire protection technology and automotive technology, Ainley said.
In response to industry needs and new occupations, SVC continues to develop new options for students including the park services and protection degree, health and fitness technician certificate and blueprint reading, as well as an expansion of the RN/PN program.
For students who balance work and family obligations, SVC’s Distance Education program is a great fit. With the “Study Anytime, Anywhere” concept, students have an opportunity to earn their two-year transfer degree online or select individual classes from many disciplines.
Similarly, Western’s extended education classes, leading to a certification or degree such as an MBA, offer evening and distance coursework.
Tina Loudon, director of the Career Services Center at Western says the center offers a full spectrum of career services from helping students relate their skills and interest to fields of study and prospective careers, assisting them in learning more about the work of work and job market supply and demand, helping them identify and secure internship opportunities to gain career-related experience and, finally, coaching them on job search strategies to gain career employment after graduation.Who’s recruiting? A strong core of employers consistently recruit at the university and have hired a sizeable number of its graduates. The list includes Boeing, Microsoft, Moss Adams, Safeco, Weyerhaeuser, Target, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, SAIC, Alpha Tech, Anvil Corp and school districts statewide.
WorkSource assists employers, employees
Gary Smith, the regional manager at WorkSource Northwest, has worked with the Workforce Development Council and WorkSource Northwest partner organizations for 10 years. His responsibilities include operational oversight of the WorkSource career centers in Bellingham, Mount Vernon and Oak Harbor, as well as special initiatives of the council, including targeted industry sectors.
Smith said the effort to integrate workforce services into a “one-stop” environment began in our area in 1992.
“In a nutshell, the idea is to create a coherent system from a somewhat disparate grouping of programs, funding streams, performance accountabilities, and agencies/organizations,” Smith said. “This is a big task that requires the unified vision and active commitment of many people at all levels of the affected organizations. We have achieved some noteworthy successes locally.“
With record high employment rates in the Northwest region (albeit with a dip in the most recently reported numbers), job seeker visits to WorkSource are down from the previous year, Smith said. In the first half of 2006, WorkSource Whatcom averaged 152 visits per day. The slowdown allows WorkSource staff time to recruit for available and skilled workers for area businesses. This includes out-of-area recruitment for key industry sectors as well as renewed attention to the resource represented by mature workers.
“Many employers will consider an applicant who may lack some of the required education, but has work experience in the field which equates to the educational requirement,” Smith said.
“With a low unemployment rate, employers are now hiring students out of occupational training programs prior to program completion and apprenticeship is undergoing resurgence. For some of the less technical or highly skilled positions, employers are willing to provide job-specific training if applicants present a positive attitude and good work ethic.”

Jobs in demand
The regional economy supports several key industry sectors that provide both a high demand and growth potential for workers, Smith said. These industries, in turn, provide a high return to the area’s economy through good wages and consistent employment. The focus is now on health and allied services, construction, marine manufacturing and wood product manufacturing, following a concerted effort to listen to the needs of industry professionals, research occupational vacancies and projected needs, attract workers to in-demand occupations, develop or expand training opportunities, and assist eligible workers in short term training or retraining in the demand fields.

Bottom line: Advice to employers
Human resources consultant Lewis says to employers, “The application or resume is just a small part of the selection process. Use it as a screening tool to assess if the applicant meets the job qualifications. You can also screen applicants based on how they complete, or not complete, the application. More importantly, you should assess the quality of applicant by using a carefully constructed interview and background/reference check process.
“Too often managers look for someone that is more like them instead of looking for the best candidate to fit that job. Also managers fall for the persuasive candidate who claims that they are the best person for the job when other indicators would say otherwise. In addition to just being qualified to perform the work, the applicant should fit into the business culture and share the employer’s values. “

Bottom line: Advice to jobseekers
O’Shea Feur of WWU says that there is not one specific answer to that the education versus experience question. “Education is an important element. Often, we (at WWU) ask for a combination of education and experience. An MBA does have a value and may be important for certain positions. The question of what we look for is so broad that it is not something that can be defined in a paragraph.
“I would say that the old standbys still apply. Accuracy in an application is critical. Applicants should address the qualifications asked and how they meet them. The application should evidence that they are applying specifically for the advertised position and not be general. The quality of the application in the initial stage of consideration speaks of the quality of the candidate.”
Loudon of the WWU Career Center adds, “In terms of tips for success: multi-cultural awareness, strong communication and interpersonal skills, an ability to articulate how you can add value, flexibility and initiative.”


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“With a low unemployment rate, employers are now hiring students out of occupational training programs prior to program completion and apprenticeship is undergoing resurgence,” says Gary Smith, regional manager of WorkSource Northwest.






Students at Western Washington University’s Vehicle Research Institute get plenty of hands-on technical training. Working on an ultra-light racing kayak are VRI Director Eric Leonhardt (center) and students Solomon Hafer (left) and Leon Cheung (right). Photo courtesy WWU.






Kelly Lewis, a human resources consultant serving Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties, emphasizes the importance of keeping up-to-date with technology skills no matter what one’s field of expertise.