Originally Posted by R I C H

There's some truth in this in my experience. Working at a university, I'm bound by union collective agreements when it comes to hiring practices. I read several hundred resumes a year, and cannot hire staff that don't have a relevant degree. Countless applicants have perfectly adequate experience and ability, but not the requisite degree, so I can't interview them.

It's nonsensical, particularly in work disciplines that are new or emerging. If I need a social media specialist, the union puts a 5yr experience requirement + relevant degree into the job description. Finding someone with 5yrs of commercial social media experience is hard enough, tagging on a degree requirement too makes hiring an almost impossible task. Roles get advertised, re-advertised and re-advertised due to entrenched ideas about what makes a suitable employee.

Originally Posted by Almost Canadian

It is not drivel but something I see everyday.

Canadians believe their education system is the best in the world. It may be, it may not be, something I have no interest in researching, nor do I care about the answer.

Outside of the academic world, I submit that, where one attends university is irrelevant (just because one attended Harvard for law, it doesn't necessarily follow that one will become a great lawyer - the difference between academic and practical ability).

Lots of potential law students in Canada attend Cardiff University to obtain their LL.B. I have met lots of Canadian born lawyers that obtained their LL.B. from Cardiff. I have never met one that obtain their LL.B. from another English or Welsh University. For some reason they appear to gravitate to Cardiff.

The result of this is that most Canadian lawyers one meets assume that, if one's LL.B. is English, it is because one wasn't good enough to get into a Canadian University. They appear to believe this even if one was born from England. I have met South African, Australian, etc. lawyers that say the same thing. I have heard the same thing said by doctors, engineers, architects, etc. that I have met.

As has been noted by various other posters on this board from time to time, the piece of paper one holds in Canada would appear to be way more important than one's actually ability. It is my understanding that it is not possible to obtain a law degree by distance learning in Canada, so I have no actual knowledge of how Canadians view such qualifications. However, I know of many that obtained their pieces of paper by distance learning in other professions and, invariably, they state that employers do not like them. It would appear that the rationale for such objections is: "You weren't good enough to attend "regular" school."

I have no particular axe to grind as I am not an educator nor will I be employing the OP. I merely wished to point out that employers see things differently from their English counterparts this side of the pond. I apologize to you for having the temerity to state something that, based on your experience, you are unable to agree with. Unfortunately, we all have different experiences and the above is mine.

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

But that isn't a point in contention. Does your union state that the degree must be from a Canadian institution?

Originally Posted by R I C H

If it's not, I have a lengthy process to go through to prove it's equivalency. It's a PITA.

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

Don't you have peeps to do that for you?

Originally Posted by newton817

How hard is it to get a job in occupational health & safety over there? And as anyone over there heard of Nebosh?

I am at the moment studying for my general certificate in health and safety, which is big over here and then going on to do my diploma in H&S in environmental management. Is there an equivalence? Not that I have any plans yet to come over there YET.

Originally Posted by Almost Canadian

Be aware that Canadians can be academic snobs when it comes to education. They assume that those that don't attend are not good enough to get in. Living in a different country may not cut it. Just a thought.

Originally Posted by Oink

Don't think it's drivel at all. I've been on many hiring committees and the institutions one attended is definitely a major factor in considering the appointment. And trust me, rightly or wrongly, no applicant would be considered if they received their degree through distance learning.

Originally Posted by Almost Canadian

As has been noted by various other posters on this board from time to time, the piece of paper one holds in Canada would appear to be way more important than one's actually ability. .

Originally Posted by Oink

Don't think it's drivel at all. I've been on many hiring committees and the institutions one attended is definitely a major factor in considering the appointment.

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

Of course it is. Having degrees from well recognized US or European universities is a huge advantage over the local stuff.

Originally Posted by Chookie

Depends on the field though. It isn't quite as cut and dried as saying well-recognised. Sometimes they want you to have Canadian specific qualifications as well

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

You're mixing up academic qualifications with the sharp practices of professional associations in regulated professions. I'd imagine that the 2200 hours of study you allude to above have to be done in a specific institution run by the shyster association? Smell anything just a bit dodgy?

Originally Posted by Chookie

I don't think the MTAA fits in with the "shyster" association - in fact most massage therapy associations in Canada require a minimum of 2200 hours of study (in BC I believe it is 3200 hours!) It is simply that they don't recognise other qualifications. I could join the NHPC with fewer but they are less recognised by the insurance companies, most of which demand the 2200 hours of study before they will pay out on the costs for my clients.

The number of hours study is actually dictated by the health insurance companies NOT the associations.