Community Chat

[missy1]

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@AngusandBuddhasMom wrote:

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@software wrote:

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@Spurt wrote:

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@software wrote:

Maybe people will now be more encouraged to learn a trade.

Some college degrees are over-rated.

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@software

I have thought the same thing software, there only seems to be a small number of professions where a college degree is required. .......I have co-workers that have Master Degrees in Psychology, History, Liberal Arts etc.........so what the heck are they doing working in a business office! And look at all the debt these graduates have accrued, and all the student loans they have to pay back...........Like you I think that people these days are better off going to trade schools for training in Technology or other fields..............

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My employer requires a degree for any new hire, even for what you & I would consider a clerical or secretarial job.    I work in a college town and my employer thinks we have to compete with the University for employees, I disagree.

I have about 90 college credits, I think I would need about 120 to actually receive a diploma.   I applied for jobs as a BOOKKEEPER and was told I need a degree, although I have over 20 years of experience. I also have management experience, being supervisor over other bookeeepers in a corporation, back in the late 1980s.    I'm seeing this all over, not just with my employer.   I was using an employment service because in the city where I live, (metro area population 1,000,000+) you can hardly get a job without using one.   The lady was so nice but told me she would be wasting my time trying to find something for me because all her clients require a college degree.  

There is a shortage of electricians, plumbers, framers, etc.   These trades can guarantee work, corporations, not so much 

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The point of a college degree is to show you have the ability to finish and that you are marketable. You have gone beyond high school and have spent another four years learning from new experiences as well as educating yourself in  a chosen field. Grad school and beyond furthers that skill and knowledge. While trades are needed to blow off college as a non essential especially in today's world is not the way to go. 

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I believe this if you attended college in person. Now it's much easier to graduate with high paying on-line colleges. Of course on-line schools are not created equal.

[itiswhatitis]

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@Spurt wrote:

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@software wrote:

Maybe people will now be more encouraged to learn a trade.

Some college degrees are over-rated.

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@software

I have thought the same thing software, there only seems to be a small number of professions where a college degree is required. .......I have co-workers that have Master Degrees in Psychology, History, Liberal Arts etc.........so what the heck are they doing working in a business office! And look at all the debt these graduates have accrued, and all the student loans they have to pay back...........Like you I think that people these days are better off going to trade schools for training in Technology or other fields..............

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@Spurt not sure how true this is considering you'd have to go to college for some of these degrees in the Trades.  In essence you're just choosing your poison differently, but you still have to pay that college or trade school bill.

[itiswhatitis]

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@software wrote:

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@Spurt wrote:

---

@software wrote:

Maybe people will now be more encouraged to learn a trade.

Some college degrees are over-rated.

---

@software

I have thought the same thing software, there only seems to be a small number of professions where a college degree is required. .......I have co-workers that have Master Degrees in Psychology, History, Liberal Arts etc.........so what the heck are they doing working in a business office! And look at all the debt these graduates have accrued, and all the student loans they have to pay back...........Like you I think that people these days are better off going to trade schools for training in Technology or other fields..............

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My employer requires a degree for any new hire, even for what you & I would consider a clerical or secretarial job.    I work in a college town and my employer thinks we have to compete with the University for employees, I disagree.

I have about 90 college credits, I think I would need about 120 to actually receive a diploma.   I applied for jobs as a BOOKKEEPER and was told I need a degree, although I have over 20 years of experience. I also have management experience, being supervisor over other bookeeepers in a corporation, back in the late 1980s.    I'm seeing this all over, not just with my employer.   I was using an employment service because in the city where I live, (metro area population 1,000,000+) you can hardly get a job without using one.   The lady was so nice but told me she would be wasting my time trying to find something for me because all her clients require a college degree.  

There is a shortage of electricians, plumbers, framers, etc.   These trades can guarantee work, corporations, not so much 

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There is a shortage of electricians, plumbers, framers, etc.   These trades can guarantee work, corporations, not so much 

No one can guarantee work......Corporations need people with a wide array of skills.

[Spurt]

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@itiswhatitis wrote:

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@Spurt wrote:

---

@software wrote:

Maybe people will now be more encouraged to learn a trade.

Some college degrees are over-rated.

---

@software

I have thought the same thing software, there only seems to be a small number of professions where a college degree is required. .......I have co-workers that have Master Degrees in Psychology, History, Liberal Arts etc.........so what the heck are they doing working in a business office! And look at all the debt these graduates have accrued, and all the student loans they have to pay back...........Like you I think that people these days are better off going to trade schools for training in Technology or other fields..............

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@Spurt not sure how true this is considering you'd have to go to college for some of these degrees in the Trades.  In essence you're just choosing your poison differently, but you still have to pay that college or trade school bill.

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Trade schools do just as good of a job for many skills and charge just a fraction of the cost of colleges and univerisities.  You can get certificiations in IT without a college degree 

[SahmIam]

I read that article and nothing surprised me. Makes sense that the largest private ones would have the most money especially as so many alumi's donate funds. Wealth produces more wealth; everyone knows that.

The smaller colleges...what do they have to offer? A friends' daughter attended a very small private college to major in art and poetry. Parents spent 6 figures on that degree. Daughter is home on the sofa as her degree is pretty much useless. A small private college in my state is a lovely school; very artsy farsty, mind traveling think about the world and philosophy and hug a tree kind of school. Enrollment is plummeting because....your job after college will be......what? Exactly. It's nice in theory, not so much in reality.

State college is getting expensive because it can be. Everyone thinks you MUST have a degree to succeed. Meanwhile, many friends of my 20 year old son chose to NOT go to school (parents were aghast and the crying phone calls were constant) and are becoming plumbers, mechanics, electricians....you ALWAYS need them. An accountant? Not so much.

[software]

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@itiswhatitis wrote:

---

@software wrote:

---

@Spurt wrote:

---

@software wrote:

Maybe people will now be more encouraged to learn a trade.

Some college degrees are over-rated.

---

@software

I have thought the same thing software, there only seems to be a small number of professions where a college degree is required. .......I have co-workers that have Master Degrees in Psychology, History, Liberal Arts etc.........so what the heck are they doing working in a business office! And look at all the debt these graduates have accrued, and all the student loans they have to pay back...........Like you I think that people these days are better off going to trade schools for training in Technology or other fields..............

---

My employer requires a degree for any new hire, even for what you & I would consider a clerical or secretarial job.    I work in a college town and my employer thinks we have to compete with the University for employees, I disagree.

I have about 90 college credits, I think I would need about 120 to actually receive a diploma.   I applied for jobs as a BOOKKEEPER and was told I need a degree, although I have over 20 years of experience. I also have management experience, being supervisor over other bookeeepers in a corporation, back in the late 1980s.    I'm seeing this all over, not just with my employer.   I was using an employment service because in the city where I live, (metro area population 1,000,000+) you can hardly get a job without using one.   The lady was so nice but told me she would be wasting my time trying to find something for me because all her clients require a college degree.  

There is a shortage of electricians, plumbers, framers, etc.   These trades can guarantee work, corporations, not so much 

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There is a shortage of electricians, plumbers, framers, etc.   These trades can guarantee work, corporations, not so much 

No one can guarantee work......Corporations need people with a wide array of skills.

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If a plumber is working for a plumbing company and loses his job because the owner retired or anything other than "cause", he can find another job immediatey or go out on his own.   Not so with a corporate job.

[missy1]

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@SahmIam wrote:

I read that article and nothing surprised me. Makes sense that the largest private ones would have the most money especially as so many alumi's donate funds. Wealth produces more wealth; everyone knows that.

The smaller colleges...what do they have to offer? A friends' daughter attended a very small private college to major in art and poetry. Parents spent 6 figures on that degree. Daughter is home on the sofa as her degree is pretty much useless. A small private college in my state is a lovely school; very artsy farsty, mind traveling think about the world and philosophy and hug a tree kind of school. Enrollment is plummeting because....your job after college will be......what? Exactly. It's nice in theory, not so much in reality.

State college is getting expensive because it can be. Everyone thinks you MUST have a degree to succeed. Meanwhile, many friends of my 20 year old son chose to NOT go to school (parents were aghast and the crying phone calls were constant) and are becoming plumbers, mechanics, electricians....you ALWAYS need them. An accountant? Not so much.

If you are going to have a 6 figure student loan debt, you better get a degree that is usable/marketable. Not like your friends dd. My relative went to a prestigious university (50,000/year for 4 years) and went  right in LE after graduating. (where you don't need that degree or any, just the officer training)

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[CrazyDaisy]

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@itiswhatitis wrote:

---

@software wrote:

---

@Spurt wrote:

---

@software wrote:

Maybe people will now be more encouraged to learn a trade.

Some college degrees are over-rated.

---

@software

I have thought the same thing software, there only seems to be a small number of professions where a college degree is required. .......I have co-workers that have Master Degrees in Psychology, History, Liberal Arts etc.........so what the heck are they doing working in a business office! And look at all the debt these graduates have accrued, and all the student loans they have to pay back...........Like you I think that people these days are better off going to trade schools for training in Technology or other fields..............

---

My employer requires a degree for any new hire, even for what you & I would consider a clerical or secretarial job.    I work in a college town and my employer thinks we have to compete with the University for employees, I disagree.

I have about 90 college credits, I think I would need about 120 to actually receive a diploma.   I applied for jobs as a BOOKKEEPER and was told I need a degree, although I have over 20 years of experience. I also have management experience, being supervisor over other bookeeepers in a corporation, back in the late 1980s.    I'm seeing this all over, not just with my employer.   I was using an employment service because in the city where I live, (metro area population 1,000,000+) you can hardly get a job without using one.   The lady was so nice but told me she would be wasting my time trying to find something for me because all her clients require a college degree.  

There is a shortage of electricians, plumbers, framers, etc.   These trades can guarantee work, corporations, not so much 

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There is a shortage of electricians, plumbers, framers, etc.   These trades can guarantee work, corporations, not so much 

No one can guarantee work......Corporations need people with a wide array of skills.

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Working for a company who uses trade labor, they are better paying jobs with better benefits than most office jobs.  And yes there is a serious shortage of workers, welders/iron workers are in high demand and getting top wages.

[itiswhatitis]

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@Spurt wrote:

---

@itiswhatitis wrote:

---

@Spurt wrote:

---

@software wrote:

Maybe people will now be more encouraged to learn a trade.

Some college degrees are over-rated.

---

@software

I have thought the same thing software, there only seems to be a small number of professions where a college degree is required. .......I have co-workers that have Master Degrees in Psychology, History, Liberal Arts etc.........so what the heck are they doing working in a business office! And look at all the debt these graduates have accrued, and all the student loans they have to pay back...........Like you I think that people these days are better off going to trade schools for training in Technology or other fields..............

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@Spurt not sure how true this is considering you'd have to go to college for some of these degrees in the Trades.  In essence you're just choosing your poison differently, but you still have to pay that college or trade school bill.

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Trade schools do just as good of a job for many skills and charge just a fraction of the cost of colleges and univerisities.  You can get certificiations in IT without a college degree 

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@Spurt Trade schools do a good job (depending on which ones) but they tend to cost more than public colleges.

[Spurt]

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@software wrote:

---

@Spurt wrote:

---

@software wrote:

Maybe people will now be more encouraged to learn a trade.

Some college degrees are over-rated.

---

@software

I have thought the same thing software, there only seems to be a small number of professions where a college degree is required. .......I have co-workers that have Master Degrees in Psychology, History, Liberal Arts etc.........so what the heck are they doing working in a business office! And look at all the debt these graduates have accrued, and all the student loans they have to pay back...........Like you I think that people these days are better off going to trade schools for training in Technology or other fields..............

---

My employer requires a degree for any new hire, even for what you & I would consider a clerical or secretarial job.    I work in a college town and my employer thinks we have to compete with the University for employees, I disagree.

I have about 90 college credits, I think I would need about 120 to actually receive a diploma.   I applied for jobs as a BOOKKEEPER and was told I need a degree, although I have over 20 years of experience. I also have management experience, being supervisor over other bookeeepers in a corporation, back in the late 1980s.    I'm seeing this all over, not just with my employer.   I was using an employment service because in the city where I live, (metro area population 1,000,000+) you can hardly get a job without using one.   The lady was so nice but told me she would be wasting my time trying to find something for me because all her clients require a college degree.  

There is a shortage of electricians, plumbers, framers, etc.   These trades can guarantee work, corporations, not so much 

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@software

Since you live in a college town that might make a big difference in what employers may require.....You hear more and more about employers are valuing experience over degrees....

https://www.aiesec.ca/blog/why-experience-is-more-important-than-your-education/

Lectures, exams and assignments can only teach so much; and the majority of that teaching is theory and knowledge. But a university education cannot really provide the hands-on, practical experience that employers of today need.

Also in the corporate world there is more chance of layoffs in the higher paid positions......versus trades like plumbers, electricians, even A/C repair, auto repair always going to be  a need...........