Is It Possible College Isn’t For Everyone?
Another thing tough economic times do is they cause us to re-think some time-honored beliefs. One of those that is coming up more and more frequently has to do with our preoccupation of sending everyone to get a four-year degree. I have delved into this topic before, here, here, and here.
USAToday just highlighted an unconventional author who is asking and answering tough questions about our educational initiatives as they apply to blue collar careers. You can read the article to get more depth, but in a nutshell, Joe Lamacchia, a 50-year-old landscaper, says in his book that not all high school students need to go to college to be successful, and that in fact, he is living proof. Joe also started a website back in 2003 thinking it would give people a place they could turn to where they could feel normal – normal about not feeling inspired to go to college.
Joe pretty much nails it when he explains that first of all blue collar work is necessary work, that for many people it is more enjoyable than sitting in a cubicle, and it offers a good living. He puts a deeper perspective on the money thing by suggesting people should be encouraged to work at something they enjoy. Joe sums up our unrealistic educational goals like this:
…tens of thousands of America’s youth are wracking up those massive college loans, and nearly half of the students who start college will drop out before graduating. Our country is facing major workforce shortages. We don’t have enough linemen, ironworkers, or welders. The Baby Boomers are retiring at an alarming rate and we aren’t training our youth to take over their jobs. That’s because we’ve convinced the next generation of workers that they must go to college. We need to rethink our system and show our students some of the other options.
That makes a lot of sense.
Lively Discussion