What is the difference between an education and training?

Many people confuse training and education. This is my concise explanation of the difference.

Many people confuse training and education.  They are very different.

  • Training entails teaching an individual to do specific tasks within a well defined parameter space, with no expectation that the person can function (work) effectively if the situation falls outside of that for which they were trained.
  • Education entails providing an individual with background knowledge and training, while developing their critical thinking skills to a level that allows them to function (work) effectively under unforeseen circumstances.

I feel that any institution providing a bachelors degree in anything should strongly resist reducing any of those degrees to simple training.  All bachelors degrees contain training, but they must also educate.