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Very true. It didn't used to be this way, but at some point 50 years ago or so, the data showed that racial minorities were being systematically routed away from so-called "college prep" to "trade school prep" high school classes. Well, systematically was inferred from the data. There was litigation on this, the end result being many school districts just have the single track -- college track. There are some districts that still have auto shop, wood shop, metal shop etc but they are nowhere near as many as there used to be. The end result is most likely that more of our kids end up pursuing college than otherwise would, and it is a disservice to some of them.
IMNSHO, part of the high school curriculum should be some real-world teaching about the types of jobs and their relative compensation levels. I know when I was in high school, my world view was extremely narrow - my view was the world consisted of doctors, lawyers & dentists (high compensation), manual labor (low compensation) and "other." I was clueless.
If I was designing a career curriculum, in addition to trades, I would put in a finance curriculum (because everyone should know about the importance of saving and investing their money from an early age) and an entrepreneurship curriculum.
Just like some don’t like math (which I love), I’ve never been interested in manual labor. I’d learn to become a hair stylist at best if I had to, but any career test I’ve taken puts me no where near that quadrant.
However, entrepreneurialism and running my own business is something I have done and will do again. It saved me when I couldn’t immediately find a job after the ‘08 crash. Definitely a viable way of earning income that should be exposed to students. With the internet and social media, yes, some business options are easier than ever to start, but they still should get some basic business knowledge in order to make it something sustainable and more than just a hobby.
This was the good ol days, back when hard work, aptitude and potential meant something to employers. Now you need a college degree to land most office assistant/admin type jobs that any half way smart person can do, degree or not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
I worked in a different time, when you could work your way up without a degree by proving yourself. By the time I retired from a management position, you needed a degree just to get in the door, but no one remembered that I didn't have one. I went to secretarial school. The guy who has my job now has a J.D. He'll go farther than I did, though.
This is spot on........along with the ridiculous quantity of goofy degrees. The colleges are businesses and they are there to sell an education, the one you buy is your problem if you fail to get hired at the end.
Unfortunately, the problem ultimately becomes "our" problem, as those student loans come due.
I'd much rather work with my mind then with my body. I saw some guys out roofing houses here in the desert last week. It was 112 degrees out. No thanks!!!
The issue is some labor jobs are fine when you're a younger man, but realistically not feasible when you're middle aged. The question is, can the roofer in his teens & 20s go on to become a supervisor in his 30s maybe start his own company in his 40s, employing other roofers... and by the time he's mid-60s he has a thriving roofing business employing dozens of roofers, a bookkeeper, an office administrator, being a sponsor of a local little league team, and an upstanding member of the business community?
I know, that's not going to be the majority of those roofers... but perhaps a few of them.
If I was designing a career curriculum, in addition to trades, I would put in a finance curriculum (because everyone should know about the importance of saving and investing their money from an early age) and an entrepreneurship curriculum.
The issue is some labor jobs are fine when you're a younger man, but realistically not feasible when you're middle aged. The question is, can the roofer in his teens & 20s go on to become a supervisor in his 30s maybe start his own company in his 40s, employing other roofers... and by the time he's mid-60s he has a thriving roofing business employing dozens of roofers, a bookkeeper, an office administrator, being a sponsor of a local little league team, and an upstanding member of the business community?
I know, that's not going to be the majority of those roofers... but perhaps a few of them.
I was just going to type that. It is a good option, but I don’t think it is realistic to expect that it is a long-term career option for most people to work in a trade through your 50s and into your 60s. That’s where needing business skills comes in. You really need to be able to do more administrative tasks or start your own business to do well and continue in the field as you age because your body is not going to be able to handle the rigors of doing all the climbing, carrying, twisting, stooping, and other physical exertion in all temperatures and other weather conditions once you get up there in age. There is a reason why most professional and Olympic athletes are young, and that’s because that’s when the body is able to handle that level of training and exertion.
Aside from STEM degrees is anyone very disappointed or even angered that their bachelor's or master's degree from a public university did not open doorways to great workplaces?
Many of us worked hard to earn good grades for classes that would be applicable for workplaces but once hired of course after going on a tedious job search the workplace turns out to offer low pay for the overload of disorganized work projects and poor management that one has to deal with.
It often feels that the bachelor's degree and or master's degree is highly overrated and doesn't open up great opportunities in a lot of cases.
1. Since roughly 27% of US adults hold bachelors degrees, they are still statistically rare.
2. Try to gain entrance to those same "doorways" without a degree. Let's just say the "doorway" will not exist, and you don't have the key to be in the building.
Aside from STEM degrees is anyone very disappointed or even angered that their bachelor's or master's degree from a public university did not open doorways to great workplaces?
Many of us worked hard to earn good grades for classes that would be applicable for workplaces but once hired of course after going on a tedious job search the workplace turns out to offer low pay for the overload of disorganized work projects and poor management that one has to deal with.
It often feels that the bachelor's degree and or master's degree is highly overrated and doesn't open up great opportunities in a lot of cases.
All depends on what your degree is in. Kids with degrees in engineering, nursing, accounting, etc.. are getting good jobs.. For the life of me, can't understand why people major in things where they have little hope of landing a decent paying job.
Lol I have an Ivy League college degree and an MBA and MS from a top 25 business school. Plus I'm neck deep in student loans which the principal doesn't even budge after making $700 per month payments.
People I worked with make more than me and most of them went to schools like Cal State Long Beach.
Damn right education is a crappy investment, at least for me.
You don't have to have a STEM degree to think both creatively and analytically and communicate your ideas well.
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