Additionally, much of today's communication is conducted and facilitated by electronic mail. As a result, a person should have a basic technological understanding of standard business tools upon completion of a college education.
While earning a college degree, a person also develops the ability to communicate effectively. Academia places a strong emphasis on developing strong written and oral communication skills. Writing research papers, giving oral presentations and participating on learning teams contributes to becoming an effective communicator, which is essential in the professional workplace. No matter what a person's job may be, the ability to converse intelligibly and communicate clearly is invaluable. .
A person with a college education will also develop valuable critical thinking and strategic planning skills. Strategic planning helps a person to create a vision into the future, anticipate possibilities and be prepared for them (Carter, et al. 42) and critical thinking entails questioning established ideas, creating new ideas, and turning information into problem solving and decision-making tools (45). Being able to plan strategically and think critically are essential skills is today's workplace; a person who demonstrates these skills will be more likely to earn increased responsibility and promotions, which usually result in an increase to a person's income.
Why do some people working in the same jobs earn higher wages than others earn? Often, it is because one person's human capital (what a person knows) is more valuable than the other person's human capital (Parish). Traditionally, the indicators of a person's human capital are the number of years spent is formal education and the number of years spent in the business world. Many employers place a high value on human capital; for example, Raytheon Missile Systems provides its employees with an automatic pay increase upon completion of a college degree.
