A small but influential group of economists and educators is pushing another pathway: for some students, no college at all. It's time, they say, to develop credible alternatives for students unlikely to be successful pursuing a higher degree, or who may not be ready to do so.
Whether everyone in college needs to be there is not a new question; the subject has been hashed out in books and dissertations for years. But the economic crisis has sharpened that focus, as financially struggling states cut aid to higher education.
Among those calling for such alternatives are the economists Richard K. Vedder of Ohio University and Robert I. Lerman of American University, the political scientist Charles Murray, and James E. Rosenbaum, an education professor at Northwestern. They would steer some students toward intensive, short-term vocational and career training, through expanded high school programs and corporate apprenticeships.
College degrees are simply not necessary for many jobs. Of the 30 jobs projected to grow at the fastest rate over the next decade in the United States, only seven typically require a bachelor's degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The US Labor Dept statistics actuallly give a very different picture than what educators and elected officials say publicly. Those stats show the greatest number of middle-paying jobs will go to those with on the job experience, an associate's degree, or some combination of both. Surely if you intend on practicing law or medicine you do need a full degree and then some. But has anyone looked at the pay scale of auto mechanics, plumbers, electricians? The vast majority of jobs in the "green jobs" category need more on the job experience than formal education - aren't these the "jobs of the future"?
At a time when many people can't pay the rent, why are we still shoving them into institutions whose only guarantee is a minimum of a decade deep in debt? Why is there no honesty about the fact we have too many degreed young people sleeping on their parents couches, or joining the Army because otherwise they haven't got a pot to you-know-what in? Somewhere along the way, formal higher education took a very wrong turn and I for one can't recommend it unless one has a very clear & specific vision of a particular job in a particular white-collar profession. But before I wish them luck, I'll tell them to call their mom and ask for their old room back.
Perhaps the time has come when people that like to work
with thier hands and minds wont be viewed in a negative light
by educators.
Best Regards
Tom.
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