Post by title1parent on Apr 22, 2009 5:22:16 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=288067&src=
Some careers don't require college
Letter to the Editor
Published: 4/22/2009 DH
As a former teacher, I agree with the president that education is very important. However I believe that his pie in the sky vision of the future, where everyone has a college degree, is not very realistic.
College is not for everyone. Several years ago one school tracked students going to college: 50 percent of the seniors went on to four-year universities and the other 50 percent entered a local junior college. After the first year, half of those enrolled in universities dropped back to the junior colleges. At least half of those originally enrolled in junior college dropped out totally.
This unscientific study had its flaws because it stopped tracking these kids. Did some junior college students move up to the university level or how many total students actually completed a degree program?
The president talks of good paying jobs of the future but do all of those jobs require a college degree? It appears that many good paying jobs both now and in the future won't need a college degree. The service industry is a good example of this.
Remember the Maytag repairman? We will still need electricians, plumbers, auto mechanics, carpenters, metalworkers (heating & air conditioning), machinists, tool and dye, finishers and handymen not to mention those that build the wind turbines and install solar panels.
Once these new technologies don't work anymore, we need garbage men to carry them to the dumps.
All of these jobs are necessary and in demand in our society plus they are good paying jobs. Rather than degrees emphasized by the president we should expect that education prepares the students for the real world and helps them find their place in our society. This is done by offering students a range of educational experiences from academic classes to industrial arts (shop classes), electronics, mechanical drawing as well as art, athletics and clubs. Idealism is a wonderful thing but for most reality is where they will work.
Wayne Oras Sr.
Schaumburg
Some careers don't require college
Letter to the Editor
Published: 4/22/2009 DH
As a former teacher, I agree with the president that education is very important. However I believe that his pie in the sky vision of the future, where everyone has a college degree, is not very realistic.
College is not for everyone. Several years ago one school tracked students going to college: 50 percent of the seniors went on to four-year universities and the other 50 percent entered a local junior college. After the first year, half of those enrolled in universities dropped back to the junior colleges. At least half of those originally enrolled in junior college dropped out totally.
This unscientific study had its flaws because it stopped tracking these kids. Did some junior college students move up to the university level or how many total students actually completed a degree program?
The president talks of good paying jobs of the future but do all of those jobs require a college degree? It appears that many good paying jobs both now and in the future won't need a college degree. The service industry is a good example of this.
Remember the Maytag repairman? We will still need electricians, plumbers, auto mechanics, carpenters, metalworkers (heating & air conditioning), machinists, tool and dye, finishers and handymen not to mention those that build the wind turbines and install solar panels.
Once these new technologies don't work anymore, we need garbage men to carry them to the dumps.
All of these jobs are necessary and in demand in our society plus they are good paying jobs. Rather than degrees emphasized by the president we should expect that education prepares the students for the real world and helps them find their place in our society. This is done by offering students a range of educational experiences from academic classes to industrial arts (shop classes), electronics, mechanical drawing as well as art, athletics and clubs. Idealism is a wonderful thing but for most reality is where they will work.
Wayne Oras Sr.
Schaumburg