Before you graduated from high school how many times had you heard about going to college? I know that I graduated a long time ago and back then it was a given once you graduated from high school. It’s not like it was something to think about at all. How did this happen? Let’s find out.
I want to start out by saying that most professions were trained on the job previous to the 19th century or so. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and look that up for yourself. The 1700’s is when Universities started sprouting up at least here in the U.S. Schools such as Harvard, William & Mary, St. Johns, and Yale to name a few. Hard to believe but yes Medical Doctors being one of the more skilled professions, once trained on the job through an apprenticeship. So yeah, how did we get to this “automatic” decision of “higher” education?
If we look at a business, it could cost a fair amount of money to tie up already skilled workers to train a new worker right? How much really though? When you look back to your first job or even most current, were you trained on the job? I bargain to say most of us were. This was done through tending to job specific tasks that would already be taking place regardless of training. So again, where is most of the time or money being lost through training on the job if it is already being performed as normal? This just sounds like a poor excuse on the companies’ part unless they are advocating a college degree for a reason. Kickbacks anybody?
In the beginning I believe there were good intentions to create institutions that would take the “weight” off of organizations in reference to training personnel. These would be scholastic institutions that would churn out workplace “ready” workers. This would not be done for free though. There would be a cost. Would the company not have to train these workplace “ready” workers? Doubtful.
Not to get too deep here with college cost inflation over the years, you can imagine what the cost was in say 1957 to 2021. Staggering costs to attend college nowadays indeed! Instead of having 20 degrees there are what seems like thousands now! One has to ask do these strange degrees transition to the “real” world workplace. I would say not. Some degrees I go as far to say inhibit workplace relations from the moment they are studied. I’m sure you can use your imagination to think of some of these “modern” degrees. So again, we have to ask why is this all happening?
I’m going to tell you why this is all happening to a once family driven society that may actually had some semblance of the “American Dream.” It is to make money! I know quite the Eureka moment there. The “University Industrial Complex” as I call it is a juggernaut eating up hard earned time/money with an insatiable hunger. Think about it. Why were student loans banned from bankruptcy inclusion? Why are 18 year old’s being given access to loans that they have no business receiving? Let me ask you another question. If you see a new car you want but you aren’t working, do you think the bank is going to loan you the 30K to buy the car? They won’t because they don’t think you can pay it back based on that information. Do you see where I am going here? These Federal Student Loans are simply a form of entrapment. Being given to what is essentially a minor who can’t readily pay it back. Doubtful in terms of prosecution worthy due to corrupt laws, but you get the just of what I’m saying. I mean who wants to be garnished, or sued for money owed on a “school” loan you first signed at 18?
You can imagine the number of “degreed” friends, or family most of us have that are doing nothing work related to their said degree! Astonishing, to say the least. I will go as far to say in my life I have known around 80% or more of college graduates that are serving in a completely different field than what they studied for. That is if they even needed a degree in the first place which is only around 30% of the people’s jobs, I know personally! It is story after story of another person that can’t find or want a position relating to their field of study from college. The system is failing miserably, and student loan default is at its’ highest in history. The gig is up, and more people are feeling like they were duped by a system meant to incur a life of indentured servitude. If you have incurred say 90K of student debt, are you going to work to pay it off despite how poor the pay and treatment may get? You bet you will. This is what the system is counting on.
For those out there looking to become a doctor, lawyer, nurse, or accountant, I encourage them to shadow someone in that profession. If one cannot shadow a current worker in the field than you could always apply for a job in that related field and get a good idea of what it is all about. I’m just naming a few of the professions amongst many that have been pushed into the “higher” learning system. Unfortunately, on the job training for entry into these professions are no more. A degree is required for entry initially.
Working while in high school is great exposure to what goes on in the workplace and “real” world. If the system was different sure “higher” learning could be a positive thing. If you enjoy your workplace and they will pay for schooling that is another option as well. This is almost like getting paid more for your current job depending on the stipulations. It is amazing to find out that other countries especially in the East, allow high school graduates to earn University degrees through an almost free of charge system! This is furthering their society for the better. This is obviously a glaring omission of the profit bases University system here that has been built.
In the end, being “stuck” breeds unhappy workers, and environments. Creativity will always be stunted when working for someone other than yourself, but in the right position with proper pay some can flourish with all the right decisions! I have met few who were happy with their pay and positions in my life. It is so important when coming out of high school to take a step back and experience the “real” world if possible. Peer pressure can be a real pain in the ass. You may just have to go against the grain and piss some people off along the way. I promise that this information if taken seriously will get all the youngsters a long way as well as the older folks thinking of returning to an educational capacity. Make no mistake about it though, “Education” is now a business. Many universities I promise you are in bed with the banks and government. I have just a couple more questions before I go? If “higher” education was so important in this day and age, why should we have to pay so much for it to become a better country and society? Shouldn’t it pay for itself in the long run?