For numerous high school students, the concept of going to college is continually engrained in their minds. Many are told that to achieve success in the modern age, it is pertinent to receive some form of degree that exceeds the level of a high school diploma. Great deals of them are advised that there is no other way to reach their goals. Several others are even considered a nonentity by their teachers, guidance counselors and administrators if they are not academically up to par with those who are considered “college ready.” Unfortunately for those who tend to instill these principles upon our youth, the idea of going to college is not always the best option for everyone, especially from a workforce standpoint.
It is no secret that in recent years the job market has been rather saturated. While it has been opening up as of late, this economy is still in a time of recession recovery, and there is no telling when we will see “Clinton Administration-like” numbers again. However, when one looks at the current market, many of the professions that are struggling to find work are ones that can only be obtained via bachelor’s degree or higher. These professions include but are not limited to banking loan officers, media reporters and fashion designers.
On the other hand, jobs that are actually in high demand are those of the likes of plumbers, electricians, and mechanics, all of which can be achieved through programs that do not take four (or even two) years to complete. There really appears to be an unbalance in the job market because of this. The reason behind this is because these jobs are not ones that high school graduates even have on their radar. They are focused on going to school for another number of years in hopes of receiving a job or career that would be better than a career they could have with a simple high school diploma.
The main argument here is that jobs such as electricians or industrial machinery repairmen/women do not make nearly as much as, say, someone with a college degree would make. The fact of the matter however is, the median annual salary of an electrician (a career that requires only a high school diploma), is just under 50,000 dollars. To put this into context, a social worker (social work is a popular major among undergraduate students), will only make an annual income of 42,000 dollars. Now, eight thousand dollars a year may not sound like a huge margin; but when the skyrocketing student loan debt is added on to that, the gap is much larger than it initially appears. Programs that teach students and everyday people these trades are not hard to find. There are apprenticeships programs all across the state and local career centers can more than likely set you up with an on-the-job trading program. These entities are not difficult to find if one looks in the right places.
It is important to understand that for many, college is a great option; however, for others, it may not be. Perhaps it is time to stop encouraging our students to achieve things that are not practical. Perhaps it is time to show them all options that are available, not just the ones that look good on paper. Perhaps it is finally time to reevaluate the workforce of tomorrow and with that create a better economy for the future.
