THE MYTH OF EDUCATION?

Got a BS and Unemployed? That’s BS

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

– Albert Einstein

It appears that sending young people to college is unemployment funded by parents. For 5 years (the new standard for completing an undergraduate degree) parents pay out over $40 thousand to keep their son or daughter out of the house and “on their own.” The result is a $32,000 a year job that is insufficient for independent living. And those that have that low paying job are considered the “lucky ones!”
After college over 50 percent of students are returning to the nest because college loans are due and low-paying service jobs are inadequate to cover payments, rent and other expenses. (Less than 30 percent of college graduates are finding jobs in their field of study.) A large percentage is now choosing to go on for a Master’s degree, thinking that more education will open the door for higher paying jobs. (More debt and disappointment?)
Why are parents “funding unemployment?” They believed in the myth of higher education: get a good education and get a good job. Before the launch of Sputnik in 1958, college was not big business. It was for a minority of students that had different ambitions from those who would go into agriculture or manufacturing. At least before the advent of Reaganomics, there were career choices!
When the Russians shocked America with the launch of Sputnik, Americans rallied by making a college education a priority. College attendance got another boost by the VietNam War. With a military draft hanging over the head of every male 18-year old, choosing college provided a deferment and a better alternative to jail. College attendance never waned after the 60’s.
Today, the loss of high paying jobs that came with manufacturing and the loss of small family farms make attending college a must for over 65 percent of all high school seniors. The battle of where to attend is now one of the modern rights of passage.
So is this an anti-college rant? No it is leading to the idea that college should be an integrated part of life rather than the focus. My idea is that students after high school seek work experiences that will serve them for life. They could work as carpenters for Habitat for Humanity. They could be personal assistants for the elderly and those confined to their home. If Mom and Dad are supporting them anyway, why not make a contribution to society? (BTW: they could learn high paying vocations such as plumbing or truck driving.)
Considering that today’s 18 year olds are projected to live into their 80’s, what is the rush? They just finished 12 to 15 years of public/private school; take a break. I understand that around 30 percent are too driven to take a break and that’s OK; go to college. The classrooms will be less crowded and you’ll get a better education. For the other 70 percent, take courses part time and build a résumé. Once you figure out what is working best for you, then begin to focus.
Imagine what the unemployment rate of the US would be if all high school graduates were counted. According to unemployment guidelines, a person is counted as unemployed if they are collecting benefits (that takes one year of steady employment) or are actively pursuing work through a state sponsored career placement service. If students are not meeting either criterion, they are not counted.
It appears that the old saying, Get a good education and you’ll get a good job has become a myth. Why not embrace a different course of action and see if the results will change?