while you are downvoted I think, there's a certain truth to your comment. Imagine a corporate lab: there's trained researchers, as well as technical/lab staff

while you are downvoted I think, there's a certain truth to your comment. Imagine a corporate lab: there's trained researchers, as well as technical/lab staff (preferably with a solid apprenticeship). Now you have a 30 year old technician who worked in the field for >10years and in parallel did some community college BSc, so has at least some calculus, very basic mechanics and whatever domain-specific-science background there is. Both this one and a MIT grad apply for a technical, managerial position managing technical aspects of the lab/department. I bet, today, the MIT grad is not too far behind, even if he has no idea of the social dynamics with all the people, skills in procuring stuff or even properly doing labwork. Great, not?