SKR8PN.... two small butts........

[patandchickens]

Just thought I'd pop in for a sec to agree with you 100%, and this is coming from someone with a PhD and former college professor

(PhD was necessary for what I wanted to do, but I think college is a great waste of time and money for the majority of today's college students who are just "having" to go in order to get credentialled for random other jobs that college does NOT prepare them for anyhow)

My husband, who has been brainwashed on the subject like much fo the rest of the Western world, thinks it is HORRIBLE that I've said that if the kids want to go to university then that is great but if they would rather become backhoe operators or plumbers or whatever, and stick to getting trained at *that*, I'd support that 100%. But, phthtthtt to him.

Although, I'm skeptical of the argument that the collapse of the nation's physical infrastructure is so much due to lack of people who can do the work; seems to me it is more lack of funds being spent on repair/maintenance and the fact that a whole big lotta stuff was built in the Eisenhower era that is just now "aging out".

Pat

 

[abifae]

I have a friend who can do any part of construction from electric to plumbing to carving and building custom cabinetry. While it's been rough on him in this economy without steady work, he's never been as fully out of work as the rest of the area. He's been able to trade on his skills on hundreds of small jobs.

It's one of many reasons I really want to get my sewing up to par.

 

[Farmfresh]

I have a friend who can do any part of construction from electric to plumbing to carving and building custom cabinetry. While it's been rough on him in this economy without steady work, he's never been as fully out of work as the rest of the area. He's been able to trade on his skills on hundreds of small jobs.

It's one of many reasons I really want to get my sewing up to par.

RIGHT you are Abi!

Sewing and even cooking are lost skills now days. A friend of mine has a gourmet chef hubby. He should be making good money with his skill level (believe me I have sampled enough of her lunches to know). Instead he works at a grocery store deli.

 

[MsPony]

I'm an ag major, grown up on a horse ranch and lived on a dairy goat ranch, yet I still *need* at least a BA! It makes me laugh thinking of fellow ag major students who have never stepped foot on a farm until college, boy the wake up calls they will get...

I don't understand why I need a degree other then being UTD on new stuff?? I have all the farm common sense and can read about equipment/methods in a magazine :/

 

[Javamama]

I will be encouraging my kids to go to a trade school first. I want them to learn practical, useful skills first and foremost. If they want more schooling, then we will work that out. I had the opportunity to attend a liberal arts college during my last year of high school. It was a program that allowed me to get college credit and finish up high school at the same time and worked out very well for me. I learned that the 4 year college degree thing wasn't what I needed and I save a load of money by getting an accounting degree at a 2 year state college. In the end I got a full scholarship and a degree that allowed me to get a decent job until I had kids and decided to stay home. It's all I really needed.
DH has a master's degree in math, but really hated the liberal arts classes he had to take to get his specialized degree. But it has more than payed off and he will never hurt for a job because there are so few who can do what he does.
Our area has a good alternative high school for that that are more trade inclined, with a wide variety of choices.

 

[Farmfresh]

My sis has a Bachelors degree in Equine Studies and a minor in Business.

With her mighty degree she got to live in a tiny apartment built inside of a stable and scoop horse poo for several years. We were so proud of her.

The stupid thing is she could not have gotten the job or later the bank financing for her own stable without the stupid paper.

 

[MsPony]

Isn't that stupid FF? You either have to go to college or major show barn (which is hard without money) to get anywhere.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

It is a sad situation that we have put our future generations into. I have a 14 yr. old son who has been very frustrated with school and the majority of his teachers. They push the agenda of higher education and anyone who hasnt got the brains for it,..well gets pushed aside. My son is very intelligent, but very hard headed as his momma,..he knows what he wants,..he will be one of those in manuel labor, and he will enjoy every minute of it. He wants to do as his father and his father before him,..he wants to WORK,..make a difference. Even be a "Jack of all Trades". He knows he will have more security in his life having many skills. My DH is a truckdriver, mechanic, carpenter,...and can do any farm work and run any piece if heavy equipment made. He never made it passed the 11th grade in high school,..but he has ALWAYS had a job and has never had problems finding one. Our workforce here has dwindled to where they are beggin for people to work with no takers,...all of our future is sitting in classes at our local colleges or leavin our state to find "better" work. They have degraded the manuel labor jobs as being not good enough,...now when there is no one to scrape the snow from your roads or a person to fix your car when it breaks down,..what will anyone do???? :/

 

[abifae]

My sister is so deep in debt from school, it's ridiculous. She says she is so in debt, she'll never pay it off, so she doesn't care how much more she racks up, too.

She works at Starbucks as a manager.

Her degree is in environmental engineering.

She is going back for her Master's.

I have 0 debt to my name. I never went to school and while I've wanted to off and on, I know it's not my thing. I want to just audit level 300 classes, really. LOL. It's why I'm getting my CNA. Quick certificate that opens up jobs.

I keep being told, but without an RN your payment cap is.... Okay. Seriously. I make 10/hour and I get by fine. There's lots I WANT but nothing I need that I cannot afford. So why would I go into debt to double my income just to fulfill empty wishes??

CNA will get me enough more for things like Lasik eye surgery and more dance lessons and stock up on more food and fabric. Why on earth would I need more than that?

I think part of the issue is just that mindset: You cannot survive making only x amount of money. You must have a phd and make xxx amount.

 

[MsPony]

Ditto. I was pushed into money=happiness and started college for equine vet so I could do exercise physiology on racehorses and make money.

But all I want to do is own a farm, play with animals and can my own food. Its taken me 3 years to figure that out exercise physiology is fun, don't get me wrong, but all the schooling involved is BS.