Let’s be honest, we have reduced education from an “end to a means.” College seems to be more about making money than expanding your horizons. I mean really, when is the last time you heard anyone say they want to go to a specific college or university to broaden their mind and connection to the world?
Last week, I spent time with juniors from the Coral Reef High School Business Academy and was then asked to speak to two senior classes to assist them with The Student Success Project’s Art of the Interview.
It went a bit off track when I started getting questions about whether the college you attend really makes that much of a difference in your long term “life success.” This question was asked a few times since some students felt that attending Miami Dade or other college options besides the “typical” four year universities was not good enough. I went on a rant.
I said, “Whether you attend college or not, there is absolutely no guarantee of career success.” I shared off- the-chart success rates of high school grads attending JUCO or vocational schools right out of high school. I also shared examples of graduates of prestigious universities who could not tie their shoes. I think you get where I’m coming from. Face it; some high school graduates would be better served being taught how to behave and manage in public first; rather than being thrown into a college environment.
The idea that four years of higher education will translate into a better job, higher earnings and a happier life is absurd.
It’s time to develop credible alternatives for students unlikely to be successful pursuing a higher degree, or who may not be ready to do so and steer them toward intensive, short-term vocational and career training.
Even though enrollment has skyrocketed at community colleges – apprenticeships and technical degrees are gaining traction. However, the U.S. still lags behind other countries when it comes to understanding their benefit and value, particularly in an increasingly specialized workforce.
These tech degrees can be had outside the college setting. College degrees are simply not necessary for many jobs. Some students are coming out of apprenticeships/paid internships and are in more demand than college graduates because they’ve actually managed things in the workplace.
There is a tendency in our society to look down on occupations that require manual labor, hands-on skills, or knowledge other than that associated with academics. This is sheer craziness.
Another consideration is that many high school graduates can benefit from time in the workforce before committing to college. Work experiences can help young adults better understand themselves and the world, and to make long-term decisions that are compatible with their real interests and inclinations.
We have become a society that worships science and mathematics at the expense of philosophy, history and art. In pushing education for the sake of money, we have at times lessened ourselves to a society of workaholics. An advanced degree is no guarantee of a contented life.
That why there’s an army of shell-shocked graduates out there right now with a college degree and nothing to show for it other than a relatively low-paying job and a boatload of student debt. Instead, we continue to push most of our kids through a single funnel called a four-year college education.
It’s time to give up the idea that every young person has to go to college, and start offering high-school seniors an alternative route into the middle class.
(Go to The Student Success Project on Facebook and download the Art of The Interview Success Map).
This column is by Ritchie Lucas, Founder of The Student Success Project and Think Factory Marketing. He can be reached at 305-788-4105 or via email ritchie@thinkfactory.com and on Facebook and You Tube as The Student Success Project.
