Stay in Touch
Get sneak previews of special offers & upcoming events delivered to your inbox.
Sign in
09-03-2015 09:05 PM - edited 09-03-2015 09:05 PM
Not surprising I guess in the age of smartphones, selfies, texting and constant social media. Who has time to study or read?
09-03-2015 09:14 PM
What was the average?
09-03-2015 09:28 PM
@SF Girl wrote:Not surprising I guess in the age of smartphones, selfies, texting and constant social media. Who has time to study or read?
There are a ton of teachers in my circle, and they'd all say that it really started over 20 years ago. Remedial courses went from being the exception to the rule, and the difficulty of courses, let alone the type of courses, has never been this worthless. Grades are raised just to push someone through the system.
When I look at the classes my mother had to take for her HS diploma vs. what I took, and what is now required, it's no wonder we're racing to the bottom. We have about the highest cost per student on the planet, and yet we stink. Goes to show that throwing money at the issue hasn't worked.
09-03-2015 09:33 PM
I heard on the (world?) news last night that more college students smoke pot than smoke cigarettes.
You'd think the high schoolers would be grappling to get to college.
(There's a reason they call it dope......)
09-03-2015 09:37 PM
09-04-2015 03:40 AM
@Anita Bourbon wrote:
Not sure why there's this reflexive need to funnel all kids into college. The university system doesn't suit everyone, and instead of sending kids with mediocre scores to get watered down degrees I wish we could figure out a better way to teach them something useful instead.
There is, ever hear of vo-tech. Over 50% of the kids at my husbands high school signed up for vo-tech ed. this year. It's the rising cost of a 4 year degree and the fact that unless you are a professional person of some sort you will never pay the student loan off. My husband says kids have no business going to college these days unless they are majoring in math, science or the technologies. In our area teachers and nurses are a dime a dozen, but you can't find a carpenter or plumber to save your life.
09-04-2015 04:58 AM
@baker wrote:
@Anita Bourbon wrote:
Not sure why there's this reflexive need to funnel all kids into college. The university system doesn't suit everyone, and instead of sending kids with mediocre scores to get watered down degrees I wish we could figure out a better way to teach them something useful instead.There is, ever hear of vo-tech. Over 50% of the kids at my husbands high school signed up for vo-tech ed. this year. It's the rising cost of a 4 year degree and the fact that unless you are a professional person of some sort you will never pay the student loan off. My husband says kids have no business going to college these days unless they are majoring in math, science or the technologies. In our area teachers and nurses are a dime a dozen, but you can't find a carpenter or plumber to save your life.
************************************************************************
There is a nursing shortage here, but I think the reason is, with the changes in healthcare, if you are not an RN/BSN (4 year degree) you can't find a job anywhere but a nursing home. The elimination of basic patient care positions (LPNs, CNAs) in hospitals has also contributed to that.
As to the plumbers, carpenters, etc, no one wants to do any type of manual labor anymore, unless it's for a high wage aircraft plant job.
09-04-2015 05:19 AM - edited 09-04-2015 05:28 AM
@betteb wrote:
@baker wrote:
@Anita Bourbon wrote:
Not sure why there's this reflexive need to funnel all kids into college. The university system doesn't suit everyone, and instead of sending kids with mediocre scores to get watered down degrees I wish we could figure out a better way to teach them something useful instead.There is, ever hear of vo-tech. Over 50% of the kids at my husbands high school signed up for vo-tech ed. this year. It's the rising cost of a 4 year degree and the fact that unless you are a professional person of some sort you will never pay the student loan off. My husband says kids have no business going to college these days unless they are majoring in math, science or the technologies. In our area teachers and nurses are a dime a dozen, but you can't find a carpenter or plumber to save your life.
************************************************************************
There is a nursing shortage here, but I think the reason is, with the changes in healthcare, if you are not an RN/BSN (4 year degree) you can't find a job anywhere but a nursing home. The elimination of basic patient care positions (LPNs, CNAs) in hospitals has also contributed to that.
As to the plumbers, carpenters, etc, no one wants to do any type of manual labor anymore, unless it's for a high wage aircraft plant job.
@betteb Funny, I worked at a sub contractor for Pratt and Whitney as a certified heliarc welder for Pratt & Whitney for about 20 yrs in CT. When I moved to NE when I got married in 2000, and tried to get a job with my skills and excellent work history...working 2 full time jobs for nearly 20 yrs with mandatory OT to boot....the other job was at a automotive parts warehouse), my work record was worthless everywhere I went to get a job here in NE...the 'right to work state'...phooey!
They all wanted me to start at entry level pay...$6.75-$7.25 an hr. So I had to accept a near $10 an hour wage cut?...no way! No company deserved my talents and skills at such a low pay!
So I had to reinvent myself and start doing office work and then worked for the PO for awhile, and Gov office work.
Nobody I know has ever worked almost 20 yrs for nearly 100 hrs a week and lived to tell about it...
The worst part of it was finding out my resume and hard work was worthless...
Side note: I did quit college after less than 2 years before becoming a welder.
09-04-2015 05:42 AM
@Susan Louise I reinvented myself a few times over my 30yr work history too, and everytime, it was because I could not find a suitable job in my chosen field. Employers would rather hire newbies at a low wage than hire experience at a higher cost.
09-04-2015 05:50 AM - edited 09-05-2015 10:50 AM
@betteb wrote:@Susan Louise I reinvented myself a few times over my 30yr work history too, and everytime, it was because I could not find a suitable job in my chosen field. Employers would rather hire newbies at a low wage than hire experience at a higher cost.
@betteb Yep, talk about a bitter pill to swallow. My father's work history/resume was worth something back in the day...companies would pay for experience over newbies and they appreciated talent/skills.
Although I hate getting old, I'm glad I retired early and I'm out of the crazy workforce in 2006! Job security died as I knew it, companies push workers more and more...like trying to get blood out of a stone!
If I stretched out the hours I worked down to 40 hr weeks, I have already worked enough hours to cover me through the age of 78 (which includes having to work 2 - 40 hr jobs with all the OT during the week...and even working most Saturdays) and I'll be 56 in December.
Get sneak previews of special offers & upcoming events delivered to your inbox.
*You're signing up to receive QVC promotional email.
Find recent orders, do a return or exchange, create a Wish List & more.
Privacy StatementGeneral Terms of Use
QVC is not responsible for the availability, content, security, policies, or practices of the above referenced third-party linked sites nor liable for statements, claims, opinions, or representations contained therein. QVC's Privacy Statement does not apply to these third-party web sites.
© 1995-2024 QVC, Inc. All rights reserved. | QVC, Q and the Q logo are registered service marks of ER Marks, Inc. 888-345-5788