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Old 09-14-2018, 06:07 PM
 
1,209 posts, read 1,803,596 times
Reputation: 1590

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Growing up in the 90s and 2000s we were told that a college degree was the golden ticket to the middle class. Everyone told us this. Our parents, teachers, cartoons, police officers, firefighters, all our role models. It was a golden ticket for much of the 20th century.

This has not been the case since after the Great Recession, globalization, and other countries catching up in economic competitiveness.

It’s easy to say now “well they should have known better than to listen to their parents and all authority figures!” but there is plenty of blame to go around for all generations.
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Old 09-14-2018, 09:32 PM
 
2,762 posts, read 3,164,410 times
Reputation: 5402
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mighty_Pelican View Post
Growing up in the 90s and 2000s we were told that a college degree was the golden ticket to the middle class. Everyone told us this. Our parents, teachers, cartoons, police officers, firefighters, all our role models. It was a golden ticket for much of the 20th century.

This has not been the case since after the Great Recession, globalization, and other countries catching up in economic competitiveness.

It’s easy to say now “well they should have known better than to listen to their parents and all authority figures!” but there is plenty of blame to go around for all generations.
I don't blame the younger generation at all. They where sold a bill of goods that didn't pay off. Their entire world was telling them that all they had to do was get a college degree. Why? Because it use to be that way and it worked in the past.

What's interesting is that even with that, the amount of people with 4 year degrees or better, hasn't changed all that much. About 25% of the population. Opportunities just aren't out there enough to take in everyone. I believe more people start college, but lots never finish.

Another thing that changed, is employers no longer cared as much about skills or education, and it was more about your personality, life choices, where you are in life vs age or actions, i.e. fit. Lots of highly educated and qualified people got kicked to the curb because of this.

Throw in no longer training people and the entire labor and work situation has come to a grinding halt with very slow growth. The potential is there, but without companies willing to invest, it will never happen. Companies no longer have any desire to expand, grow, even meet current demand, if it means they have to invest in developing their workforce.
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Old 09-14-2018, 09:40 PM
 
482 posts, read 239,364 times
Reputation: 683
Quote:
Originally Posted by High Altitude View Post
I don't blame the younger generation at all. They where sold a bill of goods that didn't pay off. Their entire world was telling them that all they had to do was get a college degree. Why? Because it use to be that way and it worked in the past.

What's interesting is that even with that, the amount of people with 4 year degrees or better, hasn't changed all that much. About 25% of the population. Opportunities just aren't out there enough to take in everyone. I believe more people start college, but lots never finish.

Another thing that changed, is employers no longer cared as much about skills or education, and it was more about your personality, life choices, where you are in life vs age or actions, i.e. fit. Lots of highly educated and qualified people got kicked to the curb because of this.

Throw in no longer training people and the entire labor and work situation has come to a grinding halt with very slow growth. The potential is there, but without companies willing to invest, it will never happen. Companies no longer have any desire to expand, grow, even meet current demand, if it means they have to invest in developing their workforce.
A college degree will still get you a good job or your foot in the door at a good job right out of college. Just don't get a worthless degree that you can only teach with.

Go get some type of a business degree and a job selling something after graduation. Having those two things on your resume will get you interviews for good jobs for the rest of your life if all you want is to be middle class and not get your hands dirty.
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Old 09-14-2018, 10:51 PM
 
2,762 posts, read 3,164,410 times
Reputation: 5402
Quote:
Originally Posted by spider99 View Post
A college degree will still get you a good job or your foot in the door at a good job right out of college. Just don't get a worthless degree that you can only teach with.

Go get some type of a business degree and a job selling something after graduation. Having those two things on your resume will get you interviews for good jobs for the rest of your life if all you want is to be middle class and not get your hands dirty.
If only it was that easy. This is the type of thinking that got the young generation into their predicament to begin with. Now instead of get just any degree, it is get a STEM degree, a business degree, an accounting degree, a "good" degree........

75% of STEM grads don't even work in STEM.

We graduate way more stem grads than new stem jobs developed, even in engineering.

Plenty of people with engineering and business degrees can't find jobs in their field of study. It is in no way a ticket to getting, as you say, "good jobs for the rest of your life".


Quote:
A common refrain among corporate and political leaders is that the U.S. needs more engineers, scientists and other workers with the kind of specialized expertise needed to boost economic growth. And that assessment plays a part in a range of public policy debates, from how to change the nation's immigration laws to how to energize job-creation.

But new federal data suggest that idea is largely a myth, and it raises questions for students who are planning their careers. Roughly three-quarters of people who have a bachelor's degree in science, technology, engineering and math -- or so-called STEM fields -- aren't working in those professions, the U.S. Census Bureau said Thursday.
Quote:
"Engineering has the highest rate at which graduates move into STEM occupations, but even here the supply is over 50 percent higher than the demand"

Last edited by High Altitude; 09-14-2018 at 11:09 PM..
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Old 09-15-2018, 12:02 AM
 
4,822 posts, read 2,617,970 times
Reputation: 6902
Quote:
Originally Posted by High Altitude View Post
If only it was that easy. This is the type of thinking that got the young generation into their predicament to begin with. Now instead of get just any degree, it is get a STEM degree, a business degree, an accounting degree, a "good" degree........

75% of STEM grads don't even work in STEM.

We graduate way more stem grads than new stem jobs developed, even in engineering.

Plenty of people with engineering and business degrees can't find jobs in their field of study. It is in no way a ticket to getting, as you say, "good jobs for the rest of your life".
Absolutely correct.
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Old 09-15-2018, 04:50 AM
 
1,761 posts, read 2,594,332 times
Reputation: 1568
Disappointed yes somewhat but perhaps more disappointed in the employers than college (or maybe they are even). The disappointment stems from the ever loving circle of "need 2-4 years of experience for job X" and yes this is an "entry level position". Which wouldn't be so bad if the internships where not as competitive as landing the actual job itself so yeah good luck landing those 2-4 years of experience before you graduate. Oh and btw those internships/ entry level jobs are super competitive, that is mathematically there are far more people applying for that job/ internship than there are openings so yeah....


And god forbid your interest is in something creative.


Look I am not saying it is hopeless and one is stuck to wallow in low wage hell forever, but it can certainly be a steep uphill climb depending on what you majored in.
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Old 09-15-2018, 06:45 AM
 
Location: Phoenix
29,753 posts, read 18,623,807 times
Reputation: 25758
Factors:
- Degree - where you got it, what it's in and what your grades are rule
- Work experience
- Positive reviews from past employers
- Skills for advancement
- Dedication to your career
- Willing to do extra including moving for advancement
- Timing and taking oppurtunities

Those were all key factors for me and everyone I know that's successful. Once you have the degree, then you have to prove you can deliver for an employer or start your own business which I've also done.
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Old 09-15-2018, 08:54 AM
 
Location: Paranoid State
13,044 posts, read 13,781,051 times
Reputation: 15837
Quote:
Originally Posted by Serious Conversation View Post
If people are expecting an 18 year old to know the ins and outs of what degrees are in demand, what schools have the best programs, what schools employers draw from, what's in demand in any given local area, etc., it's unrealistic.
Don't high schools have guidance counselors?
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Old 09-15-2018, 10:10 AM
 
28,563 posts, read 18,560,412 times
Reputation: 30802
Quote:
Originally Posted by SportyandMisty View Post
Don't high schools have guidance counselors?
The guidance counselors say nothing but, "Get a college degree, any degree."

And they'll say that to a high school senior who has been riding a 2.5 average since 8th grade.
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Old 09-15-2018, 03:26 PM
 
Location: On the Great South Bay
9,096 posts, read 13,108,895 times
Reputation: 10046
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mighty_Pelican View Post
Growing up in the 90s and 2000s we were told that a college degree was the golden ticket to the middle class. Everyone told us this. Our parents, teachers, cartoons, police officers, firefighters, all our role models. It was a golden ticket for much of the 20th century.

This has not been the case since after the Great Recession, globalization, and other countries catching up in economic competitiveness.

It’s easy to say now “well they should have known better than to listen to their parents and all authority figures!” but there is plenty of blame to go around for all generations.
I grew up in the 70s and 80s and we were told the same thing. The only difference was at first in the 1980s, college was considered a good thing, it was not yet a necessity. But at some time, I am not sure when, it was decided that this country no longer needed or wanted its blue collar jobs, the ticket to the middle class for so many millions of people. We were told those jobs were going to disappear anyway, its kind of funny btw, how other major advanced countries in Europe and Asia still don't think that.

We were told that instead America would be a "service" economy and we should all go to college. But if everyone goes to college what happens to the value of a college education??? Its not rocket science, it goes down. Instead of a positive, if everyone goes to college, then a college becomes devalued, sort of the way a high school diploma or even an Associates degree has become devalued. Instead of a positive for the few, college becomes a BASE requirement for all.

These days, I work with young people who will most likely not go that far into college, maybe an associates degree if they were lucky. Some simply cannot afford it for one reason or another. When I talk to these kids, I often suggest government jobs. City, County, Federal, Town and County jobs. Decent pay, great benefits and JOB SECURITY. That is the great alternative for the old middle class blue collar jobs that we so foolishly allowed to be lost to overseas.
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