Choosing the university of life
Student and entrepreneur Toby Carr wants to ‘‘hack’’ the education system and is shunning further study in favour of gaining real-life business experience.
With the end of high school half a year away, the 17-year-old Liston College student is planning to skip uni and focus fulltime on growing his technology solutions company DeXTech, which he founded when he was 14.
Originally set up as a way for Carr to earn some pocket money, the company started off selling tech accessories.
It now provides technology solutions, particularly to businesses and, ironically, the education sector.
Carr says he has always tried to ‘‘hack’’ the education system by finding unconventional pathways and he hopes to encourage others to challenge the status quo.
Although professions such as aviation and medicine require formal training, there are many other jobs where attending university would be a ‘‘big waste of time and money’’, Carr says.
‘‘The education system definitely needs to change,’’ he says.
‘‘We’re facing huge issues around the world where students leave high school and feel forced to already know what they want to do and feel forced they need to go to university.’’
Although his dad works in business, much of what Carr has learnt has come from trial and error – the best way approach, he says.
One of his most costly mistakes to date was importing $10,000 worth of iPhones, only to find they were network-locked and useless in the New Zealand market.
He has learnt since then to pay much closer attention to detail and to ‘‘measure three times and cut once’’.
These real-life business lessons are the reason why Carr will not be going to university.
‘‘I personally can’t see formal education being a part of my future,’’ he says.
‘‘Potentially short internships and short courses, but I don’t think I would be able to take myself from the real world.’’
In the longer term, he wants to start up more business and hopes to start a school for entrepreneurs.
The education system definitely needs to change.
Toby Carr