University education does tend to be overly academic (the engineering courses, anyway), with the result that many graduate with no idea about how their learning relates to the real world.
More than a few times, I - a mere busted @$$ electrician - have had to explain to graduate engineers what the various pieces of plant are in a High Voltage Switchyard. These guys knew all the theory about how such things as power transformers, circuit breakers, instrument transformers, static capacitor banks etc. function; but just could not recognize one if they saw it! Another graduate engineer was compiling a maintenance procedure for the standby diesel generators, but did not know what "crank case blow-by" was. It was left to somebody like me -who had grown up in an era when you both could work on your own car, but couldn't afford to pay somebody else to do so - to enlighten him!
However, rightly or wrongly, the emphasis today is on academic qualifications ahead of practical experience. I learned that the hard way; a realisation that sent me back to school four years ago to obtain at least an Advanced Diploma. That qualification did help me in getting my present job, though it is doubtful whether the Advanced Diploma course added much to my technical knowledge.
PS: Sorry if this sounds like a disgruntled old veteran complaining that "the new guys aren't as good as we was"!