On my way into my e-mail I found this item on MSNBC. I am somewhat amused by the notion of suing the college when the job you trained for fails to materialize. But beneath the amusement, I also feel a growing sense that maybe we should rethink the whole notion of higher education. Many years ago I read a small book (I may still have it!!) titled "The Case Against College" (or something like that, as I said it has been many years since I even looked at the book). At the time I still bought into the myth that education was the Royal Road to advancement. Why don't I believe that anymore? 1) a nephew who has certifications in his field that only, maybe, 300 people in the WORLD have and, during a period of unemployment earlier this year, thought about getting a (worthless, to him) bachelor's degree so his resume would not be automatically rejected because that little block wasn't checked off. 2) A relative by marriage who had to go back to school to get certified in a job she was already doing very well in order to keep that job. 3) Various people I met along the way who went from a bachelor's degree to a master's degree to what ever other degree hoping to get a stable job in the field the loved. Most didn't. Too often the degree is simply a way for lazy employers to weed out the field. The degree does not provide information, knowledge, or skills that are truly required for the holder to do the job. Most of it is a waste of money. And yet what to we hear from the Obama Administration, or the various colleges wanting to recruit students (most of whom will pay for their 'education' with loans)? Exactly the same old song. The road to a satisfying and high paying career leads through some college or other to some degree or other. No one asks why we really need those degrees to do those jobs--let alone those service jobs that our economy generates in such large numbers. Most of us will end up working in jobs (not careers!!) for which a high school graduate would be over qualified. Which is the other educational trap for those of us in the higher age groups.
2 comments:
I saw that article also but thought the suit should fail. Maybe it's my age but when I was in college, I never expected it would automatically lead to a job. I understood I had to pick fields where there were jobs and then do better than others also in those programs. I do think that more people should aim for community college and learning skills but even there, like say plumbing, there is a limit to the number of jobs possible. We are in a tough time and I don't envy those entering the job market right now.
I saw the article too. My husband got his B.A. and the college promised him a job (we are talking back in the early 80's). They did not produce a job, my mother in law (and you don't get her pissed off because she's dangerous as a hive of angry bees) got pissed, went down to the college with the info of what they promised and said, you get my son a job or I will take you to court. They got my husband a job at one of the
biggest hotel chains in the US.
This is not the job he holds today, we have our own engineering company now.
I believe we need to be educated but its not going to pay the bills. I think we should go back to apprinticeship. Find someone who will teach you their job and pay you then when they retire you take over.
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