Teaching Job v. Industry Job

I have been busy with work for the past 9 months in Indonesia. I haven't had time to hike a mountain. Two years ago during my 6-month sabbatical leave in Indonesia, I did that, backpacking, and biking intercity. That's my proof that teaching job is less stressful than industry job.

It is therefore okay to make less money as an academic because for me time is much more important than money. I enjoy outdoor sports - running, hiking, biking - where I can do fun stuff without buying something new. I just use my body - until I am dog tired - and enjoy the workout.

Free time is what I miss the most, now that I work in industry. Constantly arriving emails and phone calls keep the business go round - I guess - but we cannot work 24/7. I read a few weeks ago that Nokia stops forwarding emails to its employee's PDA's past office hours. It is a good idea.

I had a dinner with Indonesian alumnae of Canadian universities a couple of weeks ago, who are members of Calindo. Check Calindo website if you have time; it has a list of Canadian university alumnae in Indonesia. They feel the same way, that 24/7 business activities in the end do not matter in the long run. It is the legacy - what we leave behind after we die is what matters - and the families we raised.

I find Google's Do No Evil mantra makes sense now. Business - if it wants to grow - must have a purpose other than just making money. Making money should come from values it creates for customers and principles it holds.

I also don't think it is necessary for university courses to replicate what industry does. University is not for students to learn to work in a particular industry. University is a place for students to develop critical and independent thinking.

Why do not university courses replicate what industry does? First, most industry jobs are repetitive. Within a year or sooner, a new hire should be able to find the job rhythm and to work seamlessly. Second, each industry job often requires skills that combine these courses. For a great majority of jobs, it seems to me now, a well educated graduate should be able to adapt and work well within 1 year from his first day at the job.