Bermudians have been told many times that if they're looking to be the best in their fields and secure top jobs, they need to seek the highest qualifications -- such as an MBA, CA, or LL.B.

But what about Bermudians looking to be top gunners in the social sciences? Are there any real local career opportunities for Bermudian Ph.D's? The Royal Gazette spoke with two Bermudian doctors -- both of whom wrote dissertations in the field of education -- as well as representatives from Government and the Bermuda College about whether working for a Ph.D is worth the investment of time, money and effort.

Judith Lightbourne-Bartley, an Education Officer at Student Services and Behavioural Management, completed her doctoral degree in four years.

Her dissertation, written at Indiana University, was entitled "Views of Segregated and Integrated Secondary Education Programmes Held by Students with Behavioural Disorders''.

Although Dr. Lightbourne-Bartley said the doctorate was not a requirement for achieving career success in Bermuda, it was an experience from which she developed tremendously -- both personally and professionally.

"I find that the extra four to six years to complete a doctorate trains the mind at a very refined level in terms of thinking about issues, analysing situations, developing a vision and not being afraid to take risks,'' she said.

"It's one of the toughest things I've ever done in my life...but a Ph.D is not just a piece of paper, it's about doing the best you can in your field.'' Dr. Lightbourne-Bartley admitted the work was intense -- and compared it to jumping from Primary One to Primary Six overnight. She said the classes became very small -- usually about four people in a seminar-style situation which required a heavy reading load and critical interrogation.

"It forced my mind to expand, because you can't just spit back information -- or else you're not considered an intellectual. But I'll never forget the day I got hooded (graduated)'' she noted.

"But what you begin to realise is that learning is a lifelong process, and you can never know enough -- so in some ways, the Ph.D becomes insignificant,'' Dr. Lightbourne-Bartley said.

Gina Marie Tucker received her doctorate in education from Columbia University in May of this year.

Dr. Tucker originally returned to school to complete a second Master's degree but later decided to pursue a doctorate.

Although she has been successful in her educational career, Dr. Tucker said she wanted to impress upon students the importance of planning education more deliberately.

"Bermudians do not give the respect to doctoral programmes that we should -- for growth, learning and self development -- and so many of us go away to school with lower expectations, thinking `what do I need a doctorate for in Bermuda?','' she said.

"But the doctorate helped me to think in terms of a career instead of a job -- it helped me in terms of self-empowerment, self-actualisation and broadening my scope.'' Her doctoral dissertation, entitled "Discipline: Bermuda High School Student, Teacher, Parent, and Administrator -- Perceptions of the Causes of Misbehaviour'' is available at Bermuda College Library.

Dr. Tucker said her dissertation was "profound and very progressive'' regarding concepts of discipline in education.

She said that before pursuing the doctorate, she had a lot of experience working in the field of education -- and recommended getting "real-life'' experience before beginning doctoral studies.

But she said the doctoral process helped her "put it all in place within a framework of articulation at a far higher level''.

"If you're looking to be progressive and change the status quo, you can't speak off the cuff -- you have to read and research,'' she added.

Both Dr. Lightbourne-Bartley and Dr. Tucker agreed that determination and perseverance took precedence over intelligence in obtaining the degree.

Bermuda College Vice President, Dr. Donald Peters, encouraged all Bermudians in the social sciences to seek terminal degrees.

He said the College needed Bermudian doctorates to teach in several fields -- especially sociology, political science, economics, psychology and history.

Dr. Peters noted that many of the studies conducted locally have been written by foreigners, and said more local research needed to be done by Bermudians.

And he said that opportunities would also become more available in the private sector through businesses that would need, for example, the expertise of an industrial psychologist.

Bermuda College President Dr. George Cook said that although the College only required a Masters degree when advertising a position, they were looking to hire more Bermudians with doctorates.

Dr. Cook said the College had programmes in place geared toward helping their faculty secure advanced degrees -- including money set aside in their professional development programme which can be used to pay partial tuition and grant a leave of absence to the studying professor.

"It's in the interests of our students, the individual and our institution (to have more professors with doctorates) -- it's good for our students to be exposed to teachers who have that breadth of experience and depth of knowledge, because that's what they'll be exposed to when they go abroad,'' said Dr. Cook.

"It gives the individual additional mobility to move around the world, it provides new contacts which benefits the students, the individual and the institution -- it's a win,win, win situation in every sense of the word,'' he added.

Development and Opportunities Minister Terry Lister said Government could not create jobs for a demand that did not exist, but said qualified Bermudians would be considered first for jobs that did exist.

"We are ensuring that Bermudians get the first crack at jobs they're qualified to do -- but it's up to the individual to study the charts on employment statistics to determine whether there's a need,'' he said.

"For example, there's no point in Bermudians studying archeology in great numbers...but we can employ those people who have advanced degrees in social work and psychology,'' he added.

Dr. George Cook