The employment landscape has changed dramatically over the past 30 years. Manufacturing jobs have fallen victim to outsourcing and automation Secondary education has grown unaffordable to the middle class and falls short of the scope of knowledge needed to step into skilled occupations, while taking a significant amount of time to complete. Unemployment is at 6.7 percent, while tech companies clamor for an increase in the cap for H1B Visas to bring in skilled workers from out of the country. Clearly there is a disconnect between our traditional educational institutions and American industry. Something needs to change, and that change needs to be revolutionary, not evolutionary. It is time to rebuild our secondary educational institutions from the ground up. It is time to focus on vocational learning to provide the workforce of the future, here at home.
Problem
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for high school graduates 25 years or older, with a high school degree and no secondary education is 6.3 percent. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for the same demographic, but with a secondary education is 3.4 percent. Meanwhile, according to a Time Magazine report, the average debt of a Bachelors of Science graduate is $35,200.
That $35,200 figure will be carried by those graduates for a number of years after they have found work, and begun plying their learned trades. Apart from the actual skills they have obtained in the educational aspect of their vocational evolution, what else is included in that debt? The required curriculum for most Bachelors of Science degrees tends to include a great deal of study outside of the vocational requirements of a technical worker. For example, a com...
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...ive in the workforce. While there are Associates’ programs that focus on tech, they involve courses of study that do not focus on the skills needed to get that student ready to quickly get into the workforce. Instead they focus on general education.
Conclusion
To make this work requires effort and understanding from both the educational systems, and potential employers. We absolutely need to re-tool our institutions, be we also need to re-tool our thinking. The idea that one needs an advanced degree to write and maintain Java code is not consistent with what the work actually entails. Meanwhile, industry is forces to look outside of the country for workers trained specifically in these fields, regardless of their understanding of the Humanities, US History, or conversational Dutch. And the unemployed US workforce continues to struggle to fill the needs of industry.
Subsequently what is done is that selected high schools develop a curriculum that is organized around a specific career cluster, which are like a specialized charter school. The goal is to feature a series advanced “pathway” courses that can help students to enrich their knowledge through work-based learning and academics. In turn, this specialized education will allow student to demonstrate their understanding through assessments and industry credentialing opportunities. As well these schools are enrolled in a learning exchange that have partnerships that are organized to support the programs of study by coordinating statewide networks of education partners, businesses, industry associations, labor, and other organizations (2013, p. 21-23). Consequently, the program is driven to help high school students develop a career path and to receive exploratory education that will given them an advantage in either college endeavors or in the job market.
Vocational and technical schools offer these people a second chance at finding the career that they will love. According to fifty-year-old Jeff Martinelli, “For a guy like me, with no college, it’s become pretty bleak out there” (qtd. by Egan 106). Martinelli spent most of his life operating heavy machinery at Kaiser Aluminum until it shut down a few years ago. He started working there right out of high school and didn’t pursue any further education. Now, he has no certification and no degree. It is nearly impossible to find a good job without either a degree or certification. Vocational schools offer people like Martinelli a second chance. He can take just one year and do a program at a technical school to get a certificate. With that certificate, he will be able to provide for his family again. At a technical school, they don’t just have young people straight out of high school. According to Fox Business, interest in vocational schools spans high school students, 4-year school graduates, and people who want to improve their skills or switch careers. That means that everyone has a chance to get the job that they are passionate about, no matter what their previous
In the United States, the history of Career and Technical Education evolved within four major periods. First, the Awakening period which began in 1776-1826, when the right to a free public education was expressed. During this era, educational opportunities in labor and industrial education were being demanded. The rising working class began to press for an education that were more appropriate for their labor and industry’s needs (Awakening 1776-1826, 1976). Even Benjamin Franklin who represented the Awakening middle class was on board with the rise of technical and vocational education which were taught primarily by private masters or contracted apprenticeships (Cohen, 1976).
If more people went to college, and less went the vocational route, jobs will take a momentous hit. Today, companies will not even touch an application that does not include a Bachelor’s Degree; even if the Bachelor’s Degree has nothing to do with the job being applied for. Attention is not given to whether the hopeful applicant qualifies for the job; all that matters is that the applicant has a Bachelor’s degree. Murray best sums up the American job market when he says, “Employers do not value what the student learned, just that the student has a degree” (Murray). However, if less people obtain a Bachelor’s Degree, employers will be forced to base applicants on their skills, and abilities. Furthermore, important vocational jobs that lie vacant will be filled. Good electricians, carpenters, and construction workers will always be in
Encouragement is a common word throughout this paper. The best thing that can be done about the problem of dwindling enrollment in technical college is to encourage people considering this schooling. Encourage people to look into this type of education, because we do need more Blue Collar workers in our future. Encourage current or past students to talk about their experiences in tech schools with people who are confused about what they want to do in their life. Encourage them that this option is NOT for under achievers, but for over achievers.
Dana Goldstein a journalist from The Nation says that, “47 million American jobs are expected to be created between now and 2018, and about two-thirds will require some sort of education beyond high school.” In making this comment, Goldstein is showing us that the only way to be prosperous in the future is to educate our children. Goldstein goes on to say that, “27 percent of workers with occupational licenses earn more than the average recipient of a bachelor’s degree.” In other words, Goldstein is trying to tell us that a bachelor 's degree isn 't the only way to go and that we need to increase funding for vocational schools and community
“We are going to do in the future what Americans are doing today. Your job is to invent the future” says Jaithirth Rao of the Indian company MphasiS to Thomas Friedman, author of The World is Flat (389). America has always been abreast of the latest and greatest ideas and designs. However, America’s position in the world is becoming increasingly difficult to guarantee due the decreasing number of college graduates. Tamar Lewin reports in a New York Times article how a recent study by Complete College America discovered that “despite decades of steadily climbing enrollment rates, the percentage of students making it to the finish line is barely budging” (College Graduation Rates). Why? A simple answer is that a large number of American high schools aren’t adequately preparing their students for college. To reset this trend, good work ethic, innovative courses, and early vocational and technical training should be introduced and encouraged in high schools. Thomas Friedman and his book The World is Flat describe the effects of globalization on the world. Foreign schools are quickly rising to and even surpassing the levels of education in America, putting our place in the world in jeopardy.
In this generation, with this continuously improving developments and the global economy, education that is of high quality is not only the pathway towards opportunity but it is a pre-requisite that one needs for achieving success. Since educational achievement and economic progress are inextricably linked, it is essential to educate every student in America so as to graduate from high school fully prepared to join college and for a career is of national importance. So as to create an economy that will last, there should be revision of competitive and complete education that can enable learners to succeed in the global economy that is based on innovation and knowledge. This essay argues for reform of K-12 education through includes stopping cuts in education budgets to curb teacher attrition, incorporation of technology to empower teachers on delivery, expansion of the K-12 engineering curriculum and accountability reforms including the delivery of tests so as to improve K-12 education in the United States.
A challenge that all seniors face at the end of their high school career is the decision that will shape the rest of their future. Will it be Harvard, Ivy Tech, or a job at the nearest fast food joint? Of course, there is nothing wrong with not going to college, but for the people of society who plan to marry and have at least three children, it is almost essential. After making this decision, the seniors who choose to attend college must then decide which one. Campus size, housing, nearby activities, and available degrees and study programs are all important traits to consider when searching for the perfect college.
...e expense of vocational courses. Their study concluded that tougher course requirements in the four cores did not reduce the number of vocational courses students took. Furthermore, it increased the number of students taking computer and health related vocational courses. Increased graduation requirements were found to have a positive correlation with students pursuing vocational training after graduation. Students in state with higher graduation requirements produced graduates 5% more likely to obtain associates degrees or a bachelor’s degree. Also, higher academic graduation requirements positively affected wage rates. For each additional academic course required for graduation a $423 increase in the yearly earnings was reported. Bishop and Mane caution that these gains are driven by students in specific occupations involving computers and health care.
A real education is something that everyone should value, and all of us should strive to live up to our true potential. Contrary to popular belief, heading off to a four-year college to reach that true potential may not necessarily be the right choice for everyone. Vocational training is not only less expensive than college, but it is also a better use of time and provides students with skills critical for their job of interest. In six months, the class of 2014 will put on their caps and gowns and walk across the stage with their diplomas. All of those graduates will be excited to move onto the next chapter of life. But what path will they choose? Will they go with the flow, or will they take a walk down the unbeaten path?
must for most high paying jobs.And in May 2010, the unemployment rate for high school dropouts reached 15 percent, compared to just 4.7 percent among those with at least a bachelor’s degree (Report by GP). This causes many immigrants to work minimum wage jobs which is not enough to support a family according to Forbes. But many journalists and students believe that the sole reason
With the fast advances in innovation, a significant number of today 's employments now require more than a high school education or trade skills. Achievement in the workforce is progressively characterized by the capacity to think fundamentally, control a PC, and to work cooperatively in a teaming domain. Today 's school training builds up these capacities, furnishing people with priceless business and individual aptitudes and information,
In the United States, many lack the skills necessary for college. Unfortunately, the education system fails to prepare some of its students for work or higher learning. Despite these circumstances, teachers and bureaucrats seek improvements to obtain higher success. In spite of the pressure for success, the current situation is not yielding the desired results. Moreover, in the recent State of the Union Address in early 2014, President Barack Obama stated the need for improved education, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM fields. Yet, what should reformers pursue? Researchers have observed recurring problems to direct the improvement of education. The information presented, particularly over the past ten years, has revealed a need to involve the students that lag the most. Education risks excluding k-12 boys and minorities, as well as remedial education collegians, in higher education.
The reality of life is that it is very possible to make six-figures without a college degree; but when it comes down to the jobs in this world that require the most qualified and experienced individuals, no one can simply walk into these job positions and expect to be an expert. Professions such as doctors, attorneys, architects, scientists, teachers, nurses, etc require certification and a certain level of education. The skills needed to be efficient in these professions can not be simply acquired, they must be learned. Individuals sometimes fail to realize that in a state of emergency within our economy, such as a great depression, certain jobs have the potential of being lost due to the inability to