We have shown the linked video to a couple different parent groups and figured that we should make it available for everyone. One of the true difficulties that we face with high school students is career guidance. In fact, the Iowa Department of Education has restructured Career and Technical Education requirements for schools placing a much greater emphasis on career guidance. The primary reason, according to DE officials, is because employers in our state are not able to find the highly skilled professionals they need. With the ever-changing world of work making it very difficult for young people to see beyond a few years, this is a very difficult task. However, there are a couple of absolute guiding principles that we can follow.
First and foremost, once a student graduates from high school s/he must have additional education. There is simply not enough low-skill occupations that pay a living wage. Yes, in our part of the state there are manual labor jobs available right now, such as milking, working a packing plant and mowing grass, to name a few. However, even occupations like these are seeing changes due to automation and technology. The reality is that to earn a decent income and to make oneself upwardly mobile, a college education is imperative.
The second absolute is that “college” means advanced education that ends up in a degree or certification. It does not only mean a bachelors degree at a four-year college or university. For many of us, myself included, the fundamental belief is that in order to have a career that would lead to a life living comfortably in the middle-class, one must go to a four-year college or university. I emphasize the word “go” in the previous sentence because many, many Iowa high school graduates have gone off to college but only around 30% of them actually graduate. However, just as convinced as I have been that one needs to go to a four-year college, my attitude is changing because the world is changing. This has been very hard! But when one considers that a very high percentage of four-year graduates do not get good paying jobs in their major, and many of them are saddled with incredible debt for years, it does make sense to look at two-year or certification programs to receive an education that will prepare one for a highly skilled occupation that pays very well and has benefit packages on par with those provided in the white-collar world. The new reality is that our best and brightest must at least consider some of these opportunities!
Right now my second child is pondering what he is going to do after he graduates. I have put the two-year option in front of him, and at times we discuss what that may look like. I do not think he is going to end up going that direction, at least to start. However, it does need to be part of the conversation. My other child is starting her third year at Loras College, and honestly I am concerned about what opportunities are going to be there for her when she graduates in a couple of years. She is a business major and there was a time when those folks had a lot of options upon graduation, but that is not the case right now. I guess we will see what happens!
Director Brian Y. Marsh and writer/narrator Kevin Fleming put together this film that provides a look at jobs in the new economy. It was supported by Citrus College in Glendora, CA to provide students with information for the preparation today for tomorrow’s market realities. One must consider technical skill acquisition, real-world application and academics in tandem with a classic education. It’s worth a look.
Success In The New Economy
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