Lifted Out Of...

AIA-FL Blog ^ | June 10, 2010 | Bethany Stotts

[bs9021]

Lifted Out Of …

Bethany Stotts, June 10, 2010

In a new report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), the non-profit notes that while more minority young adults are going to college, one in ten of young adults in poverty have received a degree or postsecondary credential.

“Many young adults expect to reap the financial benefits associated with postsecondary education and those from low-income backgrounds believe that a college degree provides a critical step out of poverty,” states the June “Portrait of Low-Income Young Adults in Education” (pdf).

“Yet while a sizable proportion of low-income youth had enrolled in postsecondary education by 2008 [according to Census Bureau data], approximately one in 10 of young adults had completed a degree or credential but were still poor,” it continues. “In other words, the economic benefits were not immediately felt by these college completers.”

The snapshot data showed that in 2000 10% of low-income young adults had received a postsecondary credential but were still in poverty. This number rose to 11% in the 2008 Census data. In contrast, in 2000 42% of low-income youth were enrolled in college whereas in 2008 this rose to 47%....

[alexander_busek]

[...] one in 10 of young adults had completed a degree or credential but were still poor [...]

Let me guess: a degree in "Black Studies," "Theatre Arts," or "Egyptology?"

Regards,

[Don Corleone]

from low-income backgrounds believe that a college degree provides a critical step out of poverty,

Hard WORK provides a critical step out of poverty...degree or no degree...!

[hoagy62]

It doesn’t seem to work for OLDER folks either. Unlike ‘Egyptology’ or ‘Black Studies’, a fairly useful degree (one would think) is Culinary Arts. Everyone has to eat, right? You’d think there’d be a ton of jobs (other than fast food) out there for a trained chef who likes to work hard and is reliable, wouldn’t you?

Alas, there is not. Found that out the hard way. And with restaurants closing down in greater numbers (thanks to Obama’s economy), the prospects aren’t likely to improve soon.

Thankfully, I do have a job that I’m very good at, but it just BARELY pays the bills. Although we’re better off than some, we’re still considered ‘poor’, and it’s not looking real good for the near future.

(BTW...I’d LOVE to open my own restaurant, but with the way things are, and the lack of capital, that’s not looking too likely either.)