The Advanced Degree of Field Experience:
“Real-World Knowledge, Self-Taught Discipline, and a Relentless Drive for Technical Excellence”
Not all education happens in a classroom.
Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned have come from the field—on rooftops in the winter, behind server racks at midnight, and beside machinery that couldn’t afford to fail. My “Advanced Degree of Field Experience” represents decades of continuous learning, trial-by-fire troubleshooting, and an insatiable curiosity that formal education simply couldn’t match.
What Is the “Advanced Degree of Field Experience”?
This “degree” isn’t issued by a university. It was earned through:
- Thousands of hours of hands-on, high-stakes work in the field
- Self-initiated learning driven by real-world challenges
- Mentorships, certifications, and manufacturer-specific training
- Failure and iteration—learning by doing it wrong and then doing it right
- A commitment to quality, efficiency, and technical mastery
I believe in learning by doing. When I encounter something I don’t know, I chase it down until I do. That’s how real mastery is built.
College vs. The Field: My Story
College has its value. But for me, it was never where deep learning happened. I even went back to college two decades ago to formalize my knowledge. I asked to test out of some entry-level classes like HTML. After a few, they told me I couldn’t test out of more because “nobody has ever done that before.”
That told me everything I needed to know.
When you’ve already built complex systems, helped solve high-pressure technical failures, and taught yourself emerging technologies, sitting through remedial theory doesn’t make sense. My path demanded more of me and taught me more.
My Learning Philosophy
- “Try first, study always” – Dive in, learn by doing, then master the theory.
- “Do it right the first time” – Precision over shortcuts, even under pressure.
- “Fix the real problem” – Root-cause thinking and systems-level understanding.
- “Never stop improving” – New technology? New problem? Bring it on.
How This Experience Delivers Results
Because of this mindset, I’ve been able to:
- Deliver mission-critical solutions across industries, from automation to IT
- Train and lead techs, often becoming the go-to SME in crisis scenarios
- Engineer custom systems without needing step-by-step manuals
- Provide national-level field support with measurable success
I approach every challenge with the same mindset: solve it, document it, improve it.
A Final Thought
College Degrees and Experience Level:
- A 2 Year Plan: – Associates Degree – Zero Field Experience
- A 4 Year Plan: – Bachelors Degree – Zero Field Experience
- 6+ Year Plan: – Masters Degree – Minimal Field Experience
- 8+ Year Plan: – Doctorate Degree – Some Field Experience
- Norm3.com – Norm III has 20 Years of Field Experience
If you’re looking for someone with a traditional diploma, there are plenty of candidates.
If you’re looking for someone with results, resilience, and relentless technical drive,
I invite you to consider my Advanced Degree of Field Experience instead.
“Let’s get to work!”