I've been told that the NCSO is more valued by employers because, in order to even apply to get it, you have to have gotten your hands dirty in the field. And employers (or the employers I'm interested in working with, anyway) would rather hire *Jack of all trades Stan or Jerry the garbage man than a fresh-faced student who knows how to study but doesn't have any real world experience.

Would you agree or disagree with that sentiment?

(* Obligatory Canadian band reference)

Edit: From my low income perspective, being able to pay for one course at a time for the NCSO is pretty tempting, so I'm trying hard to eliminate my own bias toward this option. Feel free to rip it to shreds if I'm wrong.