Lately I have been feeling like graduating from high school isn't enough to get a job these days. Heck, even getting a tech school certificate or associate's degree will MAYBE get you a job that makes a few extra bucks these days. Does everyone need a degree to survive these days? We need more solutions... not just the clichéd, "Go back to school" to help our high school and community college grads get a start in the world.
What happened to the days when high school would get you a starter job? I thought college was supposed to be optional...right? No, apparently in the 21st century you have to have AT LEAST a four year degree to get a job that pays a low middle class wage (or salary if you're lucky) to start! In the 1970's and even the 80's you could still get a job out of high school to help pay your way through college (if you chose to go...it was still somewhat optional for many professions back then).
And where are young people supposed to get the money for these degrees? God forbid we take out huge student loans to pay for our Bachelor's, Master's, and sometimes Doctorates! For an example of this double standard of getting a degree AND staying out of debt completely (while getting a four year degree, and maybe a Master's later) listen to the advice of my business teacher (who has her doctorate in education, by the way): "Stay out of debt." But WAIT, she also said: "Be sure to get your Master's degree and maybe even a doctorate later." And then she later said: "A lot of you won't be able to get the jobs you want with [only] a four year degree." Those three comments were her words, not mine.
How do you justify this double standard when the price tag of a four year degree is steadily climbing every year? Also this price increase is happening in the midst of a severe recession (more akin to a depression, I think) that shows no sign of clearing up anytime soon.
What our country needs is a lot more basic, entry level jobs that high school and 2 year college grads can get....that..wait for it... pay enough for them to live on so they don't go into debt while in school. Also, this may help people decide if college is really for them...because it isn't for everyone folks! This fact is quite shocking, I know.
So, that is the next move for our country... Bring back entry level jobs that a high school grad can easily get AND make a living on... College is a blessing for many, many people and I don't discredit the need for it in many professions, BUT it isn't for everyone and it should not be mandatory!
Those of you who have read this far...if you are a Christian please pray for our country! We have come to worship education in this modern era... Don't believe me? Just check out these Bible verses while you contemplate my blog post:
1 Corinthians 3:19 "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight."
1 Corinthians 1:25 "For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of Godis stronger than human strength."
Excuse me while I get off my soapbox now. I hope that I didn't hurt anyone's feelings (anyone who has/is planning on/ or is now going to college. I have felt this way for a long time and I wonder if our education system has lost a lot of it's value these days... since we live in times where a college grad sometimes has to flip burgers to make ends meet. I pray that there will be a real change in our country, not one brought by a president, but one brought by our Lord God.
