Educated or Skilled

What is the distinction between being Educated and being Skilled?

Do you remember a story we all heard in our childhood? Let me try and narrate it for you

The story is about an educated man who wished to cross a river. On reaching the bank of the river he steps inside a small boat . Boat operator starts rowing him across the river. This Educated man is boastful and pities the boat operator. He ridicules the operator and comments that if the operator had been educated like him , would have led a much dignified life . He goes a step further and comments that the life of the operator was useless.

As they proceed the boat hits a rock and capsizes. The boat operator, who had been silent throughout the earlier banter, instinctively dives in the river and swims across to safety , saving himself. But the educated man unfortunately does not know swimming skills, drowns himself to death.Moral of the story Understand the distinction between Education and Skill.

In today’s world both are equally important. 

I happened to attend a "My Story Session" at a TiE Event last week and listened to the amazing story of The Maverick Brikram Dasgupta Founder and Executive Chairman Globsyn Group. During his speech he mentioned about this distinction between Educated and Skilled and to quote in his words "Education is still for few but Skills are for all ". Bikram further elaborated and prophesied that Education and Skills are going to merge in coming few years.

At this point I would like to ask you :-

Have you heard Bunker Roy’s story Learning from a barefoot movement? He is the founder of Barefoot College. This school, teaches rural women and men many of them illiterate to become solar engineers, artisans, dentists and doctors.  

I urge all to listen to the talk and the difference between Educated and Skilled would be evident.

Thank you Bikram for throwing light on the distinction between Educated and Skilled .