Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My counter-argument would be, if you don't like living in a society where a premium is put on college education, move to somewhere where it's not and see how you like it in comparison.
Ok, if you find me a time machine, I'll gladly move to America in decades past. The economy did just fine without being saturated with college grads.
My counter-argument would be, if you don't like living in a society where a premium is put on college education, move to somewhere where it's not and see how you like it in comparison.
But why should it even be an issue of the haves and have nots? Why can't be provide everyone with access to a premium education?
I think you should spend less time whining and complaining here; you should be trying to improve yourself.
I hold a masters degree in business systems as well as a separate four year degree in medical management.
I agree with the OP.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ccm123
Yes, the economy is becoming very globalized and increasingly very complex. Someone without a formal education, is really not equipped with the tools to succeed.
Despite what level of college education percentage dictates, the U.S. will still need unskilled labor in which to survive.
One of the largest shortages in qualified employee's is not engineering but in truck driving.
Desirability of the profession of commercial truck driver aside, it stands in defiance of the statement that the only positions paying a living wage are those requiring at least a four year degree.
Here in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania 90 miles west of NYC, there is a shortage of workers for warehouse positions that have pushed the wages of a starting employee to approx. 15.00 an hour.
The requirements for these positions are listed as high school diploma or equivalent .
Craft Foods being one of the premier warehouse employers here starts their unskilled warehouse workers at 14.25 per hour including full medical and a 401K plan.
Again they require high school or equivalent.
Can everyone physically handle this type of work? No of course not but I mention these positions as a rebuttal to those that say one is out of luck if one does not have a four year college degree.
Last edited by julian17033; 09-01-2013 at 09:35 AM..
Reason: Typo correction
I hold a masters degree in business systems as well as a separate four year degree in medical management.
I agree with the OP.
Despite what level of college education percentage dictates, the U.S. will still need unskilled labor in which to survive.
One of the largest shortages in qualified employee's is not engineering but in truck driving.
Desirability of the profession of commercial truck driver aside, it stands in defiance of the statement that the only positions paying a living wage are those requiring at least a four year degree.
Here in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania 90 miles wet of NYC, there is a shortage of workers for warehouse positions that have pushed the wages of a starting employee to approx. 15.00 an hour.
The requirements for these positions are listed as high school diploma or equivalent .
Craft Foods being one of the premier warehouse employers here starts their unskilled warehouse workers at 14.25 per hour including full medical and a 401K plan.
Again they require high school or equivalent.
Can everyone physically handle this type of work? No of course not but I mention these positions as a rebuttal to those that say one is out of luck if one does not have a four year college degree.
I agree with you that there isn't really a shortage of college-educated workers. There's shortages in certain fields, just like with high school educated workers. Overall, however, the unemployment rate for people with only high school education is roughly three times as high as it is for those who have a college degree. Partly that's college educated workers displacing others. Starbucks, for example, is pretty much your stereotype for preferring college-educated workers when they can get them. With the weak economy, a lot more recent grads are working Starbucks-type jobs and displacing less attractive but really no less qualified workers.
I have a practical, employable degree (engineering) and advanced degrees and I still find it quite difficult to good employment. This is because engineering degrees are now a dime a dozen and will continue to become so.
I do think that a more educated society is a more productive society. All of the most efficient countries have high levels of educational attainment. However, it comes at the expense of being able to separate yourself through education in terms of upward mobility. If I had known back in the day what I know now though, I would have been able to do it.
Ok, if you find me a time machine, I'll gladly move to America in decades past. The economy did just fine without being saturated with college grads.
Right, but the overall quality of life was significantly less compared to the advanced society we have now. You still have an opportunity to visit one of these places. Feel free to visit the Congo, Cameroon, Uganda, Sudan, Panama, Costa Rica, etc. When you can get back, tell us how it compares to your experience in the United States. Or you can even come here to Detroit, like I mentioned before. Then go to a place like Cupertino, Boston, Denver, Austin, Madison, Minneapolis, etc. See how the quality of life differs between those places and report back to us.
But why should it even be an issue of the haves and have nots? Why can't be provide everyone with access to a premium education?
I have been a long time advocate for easily accessible secondary education, whether it be college or technical schooling. They have successful programs like this set up around the world in many technologically advanced, first-world countries (Germany, Sweden, Korea). Heck, I dated a girl from Bangladesh not that long ago and I believe her government heavily subsidized her college education. This is a social problem in the United States, not entirely an economic one. We have an extremely independent culture even to this day.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
