Perhaps that is part of the problem, but much of it is due to the notion that everyone should go to college. We have legions of young people who have no clue as to what they want to do, so they go to college and get a degree, any degree.
It is about time we stopped believing that institutional education is the Holy Grail and start letting young people choose their own path in high school. There are many youngsters who would probably rather become an apprentice in some trade instead of wasting away in their junior and senior years in high school, but it is not PC to consider such a thing. Everyone has to go to college, right? Even if they do get a degree in multidisciplinary studies (whatever that is) or political science and find themselves working as a clerk or waiter.
The entire American education system is screwed up from the bottom up. That’s what happens when government runs the show. We need more freedom and options and less publik skool.
There are legions of people who would pay for training if they could be semi confident of getting a good paying stable job. If companies are so desperate why not offer a contract that if you pay for a specific training course, we will in tern hire you for x years at y dollars. I am very skeptical of these stories about companies who can’t find workers.
We have legions of young people who have no clue as to what they want to do, so they go to college and get a degree, any degree.
This is a problem. There is also the problem of companies that require college defrees for even menial labor positions.
Good post and a great thread. One of my first entry level jobs was electrical assembly, wiring, soldering, etc. After many different jobs in those early working years, I came back to electronic assembly with a very good company. I was good enough at it to move up and lucky enough to take advantage of my employer’s tuition refund program to complete night school. I still work with manufacuring but sadly it typically involves overseeing subcontractors doing the kind of work I used to do inhouse. Faster, better, cheaper was the mantra. Outsourcing, global sourcing, etc. have slowly drained the capability from our most important and unique manufacturers. THat was just my example.
But those trade skills are the portable ones, the carpenters, plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics,hair stylists/colorists, tree surgeons, veterinary technicians and others that are at least as noble and certainly necessary and rewarding. I strongly support the trades, just not most of the unions that have taken so much of them over.
I never considered myself college material in high school and would like a system that gives students an opportunity to take a year off after school, do volunteer work or other work for a period of time and then go to school. Scholarship programs have their place but nearly all of them are geared for those entering college immediately after high school. Book learning is not life learning and I agree that getting a college degree is not the be all to end all. You only have to look at the current administration to see ample proof of that.
Good post and a great thread. One of my first entry level jobs was electrical assembly, wiring, soldering, etc. After many different jobs in those early working years, I came back to electronic assembly with a very good company. I was good enough at it to move up and lucky enough to take advantage of my employer’s tuition refund program to complete night school. I still work with manufacuring but sadly it typically involves overseeing subcontractors doing the kind of work I used to do inhouse. Faster, better, cheaper was the mantra. Outsourcing, global sourcing, etc. have slowly drained the capability from our most important and unique manufacturers. THat was just my example.
But those trade skills are the portable ones, the carpenters, plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics,hair stylists/colorists, tree surgeons, veterinary technicians and others that are at least as noble and certainly necessary and rewarding. I strongly support the trades, just not most of the unions that have taken so much of them over.
I never considered myself college material in high school and would like a system that gives students an opportunity to take a year off after school, do volunteer work or other work for a period of time and then go to school. Scholarship programs have their place but nearly all of them are geared for those entering college immediately after high school. Book learning is not life learning and I agree that getting a college degree is not the be all to end all. You only have to look at the current administration to see ample proof of that.
I would think the sissification of American males has something to do with it too. They’d rather be perpetual college students or corporate eunechs than get dirty and work with their hands.