Trade School Emphasis to offset the College Bubble?

[kyuuei]

Source: http://www.scryptwriter.com/article...-college-even-though-i-graduated#.UxTEX_ldXAb

Relevent quotes for the lazy guys:

No, the problem is us. We needed to grow up when we graduated from high school, but we go to college instead.

College is a bubble that will ultimately burst. We can't afford to keep churning out useless degrees to individuals ill-suited for the workforce. Jobs that actually make money and provide value for a real, working economy are jobs that people aren't preparing themselves for. We're preparing ourselves for having a career that we think we'll like, not a career that will get us anywhere financially or even make us happy.

Students are picking majors, not careers.

In high school, we actually looked down on people who were choosing to go to a trade school instead of attending a four-year college. Why were we so judgmental (and completely wrong)?

It's because we're told from a young age that we're second-class citizens for not being "well-educated." It's the new social envy, except now there's nothing really to be envious about.

Summary of the article:

Basically, yes you need education--but what KIND of education you need may not be college, but good old street knowledge. Common sense, growing up on time, and being forced to be an adult at an adult age and working through a career via a trade school or apprenticeship may be more sensible than any college education if you're not completely ready for college with a clear plan. The only way to get a clear return on your investment is to know what you're investing in and be sure of the risks and benefits--and most high schoolers lately are not in that mind frame.

My personal view:

I'm totally torn on this issue. You learn a lot of awesome stuff you never forget in college--it shaped me to see things from many professors' eyes and shape my own opinion on them. It helped me realize I could excel at science--something I just ignored because 'it was easy' in high school. I think the education you receive is valuable if not for a career aspect but for a personal and professional one.

On the other hand... it isn't as practical by any means, and we are as a society treating high school students the way we once treated middle school students. We're dumbing things down in high school because community college will scrape up the pieces and catch the drips. Trade schools are viable in high school, and can give an 18 year old kid enough skills and knowledge to begin working a viable job that really goes somewhere. And truly, a mechanic or gifted artist doesn't need anyone shoving tons of anatomy and physiology down their throats. My musician Aunt never had a use for trig, and never will in her lifetime, and HAD to do it just so she could get a degree in something she loved that was completely unrelated to how she would perform in her musical duties as a degree holder of .. music. or whatever.

I think having more customized high schools (the way Japan has) could solve a lot of issues here--both culturally and academically. Students having more adult-like say in their own education, and having options other than "this is where you'll go next, no matter what" with real different, viable options.. I think that'd be interesting to see here in the US. More charter schools, more trade-high-school-hybrids, more high schools setting students up for success in college, colleges for people in their mother language teaching students in the form they're most comfortable with while prepping them for success in the language they need to learn anyways instead of letting them scrape by with their language as a crutch.. more high schools combining these efforts so that one is not more right than the other and all are accessible.. Less standardized testing across the board, and more standards specific to the areas the student is being filtered through..

Thoughts? Live in a country/area/community that does something like this? Is the problem the lack of adult-like behavior from students, or that adults don't treat students with real adult situations to push them into growing up? Is growing up really that important to huge social issues like debts, bubbles, and economic factors, or is it a symptom of something else?

 

[gromit]

Yeah I think a lot of majors are kinda silly... why pay so much money for something that isn't even going to get you a better job when you are done?

There's definitely a stigma in some circles towards trades, which is unfortunate...

 

[ceecee]

My son did this. He was in CC for a little bit and found an apprenticeship for utilities, specifically with one of the power and gas companies. He did this for 2 years, 2 days in class, 3 days working. He was paid while he was in the program. After he finished, he was hired by the company and he works on the outdoor high voltage stuff and upgrading existing systems. Needless to say, we haven't seen much of him this winter since he's been going to other states when they get pummeled from the weather. This was a perfect choice for him, he loves it, makes excellent money, great benefits and retirement investing. I would totally encourage anyone looking for an alternative to college to look at this. CC's are a huge resource for finding and applying to them as well. He does want to go back for his electrical engineering degree and the tuition reimbursement is pretty generous through his employer and the union. It would be better if these opportunities were presented to kids at the high school level though.

 

[kyuuei]

^ There are some things I think need to go back to apprenticeship realms that are currently in college courses.. A lot of things, actually. Being a nurses aide does NOT need a year's worth of college education. It does need about 6 months worth of 12 hour shifts, full time status, following around various other established aides and learning the ins and outs of a particular position--with maybe some video training on the last hours of each day, or some basic testing questions routinely or something. Because then the aide is tailored to the hospital, to the floors they're working on, and the way the hospital runs things. Nursing aides right now get out of school, and they still have no idea what they're doing after 1 year of working hard learning things. It's just absurd.

If you can get more out of a job by learning it hands on in half the time the school would teach you, than they really need to either make it a hybrid (i.e. some pre-req college courses for a semester followed by the apprenticeship) or they need to convert it back.

 

[ceecee]

^ There are some things I think need to go back to apprenticeship realms that are currently in college courses.. A lot of things, actually. Being a nurses aide does NOT need a year's worth of college education. It does need about 6 months worth of 12 hour shifts, full time status, following around various other established aides and learning the ins and outs of a particular position--with maybe some video training on the last hours of each day, or some basic testing questions routinely or something. Because then the aide is tailored to the hospital, to the floors they're working on, and the way the hospital runs things. Nursing aides right now get out of school, and they still have no idea what they're doing after 1 year of working hard learning things. It's just absurd.

If you can get more out of a job by learning it hands on in half the time the school would teach you, than they really need to either make it a hybrid (i.e. some pre-req college courses for a semester followed by the apprenticeship) or they need to convert it back.

CNA's do have to either enter a training program or certification program and about a 6 month apprenticeship plus be licensed by the state they work in. The best place to check the requirements is through whatever state nurse aid registry oversees it and get into an accredited program. I had a practicum and HIM isn't even something you do with patients, which is why I got into it to begin with. I work from home and always have, except for the first 6 months after I was hired. HIM, you can't do without a bachelors.