Many successful people have amassed fortunes without ever stepping foot in a University or College. The merits of a degree are focused on helping students find employment, rather than launching ventures. Many people without first class degrees or upper seconds in an academic discipline, find that the best jobs are unavailable to them due to stringent entry requirements, forcing them into an entrepreneurial mindset.
In many ways qualifications can strangely discourage one from taking the risk of going it alone, as there are many more stable, risk free openings available in the world of employment. The list of prosperous wealthy Businessmen without a further education background is impressive: Richard Branson (Virgin), Alan Sugar (Amstrad), Duncan Bannatyne (Bannatyne's Healthclubs), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Theo Paphitis (Ryman Stationers), James Caan (Hamilton Bradshaw Private Equity, Henry Ford (Ford Motoring), John D. Rockefeller Snr (Standard Oil), Sir Phillip Green (Arcadia Retail Grioup), Simon Cowell (Syco Music). It would appear that all one needs is the confidence, drive, ambition, energy, enthusiasm, common sense and strength of will to press on in the face of adversity.
Let me make it clear that many people have also succeeded in the corporate world having earned a well respected degree: Donald Trump (Trump Organization), has often sung the praises of further education and has attributed much of his intellect to his schooling. Many entrepreneurs that specialise in technology or medical disciplines, could not have come up with their ideas without a College background. Sir James Dyson (Dyson Electronics) has championed technical design knowledge by setting up a foundation at Loughborough University for aspiring engineers.
It is pretty clear that those who have what it takes to set up a venture, will do so regardless of whether they have a further education qualification or not.
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