Degree or no degree?? Let's agree to disagree

[HarryBear]

So, jobs is the topic and degree or no degree is the subject?
I am mad at times and happy at times about this but wanted others thoughts behind the rationale/demand employers want.
You can be an educated fool with a degree or you can be an educated fool with no degree.
The possibilities are endless.
Jobs want degrees, jobs look for a trade with no degree.
We are all different we can agree on that.
What are some of your thoughts and comments? I am interested to see the public points.

 

[RickN]

It depends on the degree. A degree in gender studies, etc is not worth the paper it is printed on. A degree that will get you a job that pays enough to easily cover any student loans is another story. Our colleges have gone from places of higher education to money farms for liberal causes. If I was a HS grad today, I would go to a trade school instead.

 

[HarryBear]

It depends on the degree. A degree in gender studies, etc is not worth the paper it is printed on. A degree that will get you a job that pays enough to easily cover any student loans is another story. Our colleges have gone from places of higher education to money farms for liberal causes. If I was a HS grad today, I would go to a trade school instead.

Hallelujah.
I was on the phone today with a company and they mentioned they wanted to hire folks with degrees..... What about experience? You'd have a room full of book smarts but not street smarts....
Colleges now like you said seem to be money farms, and we are just their cattle ($).

 

[joegrizzy]

a degree means you think they like want you to think and you will respond to virtue signaling. you will also likely just sit and say nothing when things are said that YOU disagree with because well, what else did you learn in college?

i think "degree" or "no degree" is more like "job" or "no job". businesses turned their backs on American workers; now it's our turn. there are a LOT of poor people who have always been poor and probably always will be. i *think* they are ready to make everyone else like them.

 

[kirk1978]

I work in the HVAC field (Building Automation), none of the folks that work for me have degrees and all make between $85k and $95K a year. Not getting rich but making a good living with no degree.

 

[Rustytigwire]

My lack of college became a limit about age 35. But by that time if I needed an engineer to size something there were a few I could rely on for guidance.

 

[GlockPride]

It depends on what the degree is, what the job is and other experiences. Typically, a degree won’t get you a job. But not having one automatically keeps you from getting certain jobs (not that I agree with it). So, a degree can keep doors from being closed on you.

 

[joegrizzy]

i still remember *every* teacher telling me "if you don't go to college the only question you'll be asking at work is 'do you want fries with that?!'" like WORD FOR WORD that exact line. they were told to say this.

oddly, somewhere about a decade later student loan debt surpassed credit card debt. what ruined one generation ruined another. same beast, different clothes.

i know lots of people with all kinds of degrees. *most* of them are still working in the service industry. not sure if they ask about fries or not, but i bet they have to read off the daily specials every now and then.

think about it; the majority of college *graduates* are working in service. the service economy is *dead*. i know i for one simply won't pay for food or drink outside the house anymore. there's no point.

so not just people who *attended* college and bailed out before racking up serious debt, no no no, these people *finished* and they are serving tables to *pay it off*. and i know a LOT of mid 30's who publicly post *they will never pay their loans.* not because they can't, they simply won't.

society *has* broken down. we're telling people they have to get shots or lose work and not eat. and not even giving two #*!&s about who made the damn virus in the first place.

 

[joegrizzy]

It depends on what the degree is, what the job is and other experiences. Typically, a degree won’t get you a job. But not having one automatically keeps you from getting certain jobs (not that I agree with it). So, a degree can keep doors from being closed on you.

this is because nepotism and esoteric knowledge are staples of the people who control academia.
the internet made college obsolete. you can learn everything; books are printed. when you consume a digital resource; it's still there. when you "steal" one; it's still there. the business model of selling knowledge doesn't work anymore.

so they sell the gold star saying you did a "Good job!". there are certainly fields were it is necessary, but there are plenty where it isn't. what's wild are the people who pay for art degrees. i see them every day, my favorite question i get is "where did you go to art school?"

i respond with "art school?" and a wry smile.
then they get *really* angry for some reason.

 

[Dale00]

Working with your hands is good and noble but many trades wear out the body...choose carefully
Working behind a desk can be awful or wonderful...choose your degree and career path carefully.
We need people in both categories.