Our family's liberal arts college experience

[daylatedollarshort]

Not so. Almost all the trade schools common from the 1960's until about 2002 are gone. I spent some of my time from 1998-2006 remodeling old high school metal shops, wood shops, welding shops and auto shops into computer science labs and just plain additional classrooms. Due to anti union sentiment the post High School professional trade apprenticeship track has also significantly dried up.

Beyond home ec: vocational programs are a good investment - Education - AEI

" "College debt represents a special sort of betrayal. We told you that the way to get ahead in America was to get educated. You did it. And now you find yourself in the same place, but buried under debt. You were lied to."

Lost in this rhetoric is any suggestion that it is the education system--the schools that charged all that money and then provided little by way of marketable skills in return--that let these young people down. Some of these talented people would no doubt have been better served by an education more directly tied to the jobs they so desperately need."

For post-secondary students, evidence is mounting that the payoff for occupational-certificate programs of at least one year can be quite large--often outweighing the benefits of an associate or bachelor's degree. Nationally, the Georgetown Center for Education and the Workforce estimates that 43 percent of workers with occupational certificates and licenses out-earned associate-degree holders, and 27 percent had higher earnings than bachelor's-degree recipients."

 

[rodi]

I used to be hard in the camp that my kids would only get a STEM degree.
Then I started observing some of my peers. The most financially successful person from my high school double majored in English and Philosophy. He ended up writing tech books for less technical people (er... dummies.) He's got around 30 best sellers. Part of it was being in the right place at the right time for his first book... and a huge portion was having the writing skills and technical curiosity.

Another pair of friends - both have PhDs in Biology. He's a SAHD because the job market was challenged when his last post-doc ended. She went and got an MBA because she saw the ceiling for a PhD biologist was very low compared to those who have business backgrounds... So their STEM biology advanced degrees did not equate lucrative careers.

I've posted here before - I plan to pay for my kids public school undergraduate degrees - but the major will be determined when they show me a path to a career. If they can show a path to a career (backed up by statistics) for a liberal arts degree - that's fine. If they can show me a path to a career with a science degree - that's also fine. But blindly saying "stem" - without considering what jobs are available in that stem major isn't good enough.

I have a friend who's daughter graduated with a degree in environmental science. She didn't stop to look at what jobs were available till her senior year. It took her 2 years to find a job in her field. I hope my requirements will have my kids considering the major/career choices sooner than their senior year.

 

[Katsmeow]

Not so. Almost all the trade schools common from the 1960's until about 2002 are gone. I spent some of my time from 1998-2006 remodeling old high school metal shops, wood shops, welding shops and auto shops into computer science labs and just plain additional classrooms. Due to anti union sentiment the post High School professional trade apprenticeship track has also significantly dried up.

I wonder if this depends on where you live. I do think that many of the for profit schools are worthless.

But, around here, most of the things you are talking about can be learned at CC. Not every CC has every program, but they are easily found at very low cost at the CCs.

For example at the CC 2 of my kids attended there is a traditional academic group of courses meant to be transferred to a university. My son followed that and has transferred to a university for his last 2 years of credit (he is a CS major).

On the other hand, my daughter knew she didn't want an academic degree. So, for where we looked at the more work oriented programs. Some of the certificate and AAS programs at the CC available were:

Veterinary Technology
Electrical Technology
Game Design & Simulation Designer (artist)
Game Design & Simulation Developer (Programming)
Live Entertainment Technology
Visual Communication
3D Animation
Digital Photography
Graphic Design
Motion Graphics
Multimedia Designer
Video & Post Production
Web Design
E-Business Web Developer
Web Designer (artist)
Web Designer (programming)
Accounting AAS
Accounting Assistant
Payroll Certificate
Administrative Services
Administrative Services - Bookkepping
Administrative Services - mecial
Administrative Services - Global Office Support
Administrative Services - Office Communications
Business Administration - Human Resources
Project Management
Logistics Management
Automated Manufacturing Technician
Petroleum Field Service Technician
Petroleum Data Technology
Electronic Assembler
Engineering Technician
Architectural Engineering Technology
CAD operator/drafting
AutoCAD Draftsman
Solid Model Designer
Industrial Diesel Technology
Machining Technology
Computer Numeric Control Operator
Machinist
Inspection Technology
Welding Technology
Gas Metal Arc Welding
Pipe Welding
Dental Hygiene
Dental Assistant
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Echocardiography
Electrocardiography Technician
Emergency Medical Services Professions
Health Information Technology
Hospital-Based Coding
Physician Office-Based Billing and Coding
Massage Therapist
Medical Assisting
Medical Radiologic Technology
MRI Advanced Technical Certificate
Vocational Nursing
Nurse Aide (CNA)
Patient Care Technician
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Personal Trainer
Pharmacy Technology
Phlebotomist
Physical Therapy Assistant
Posysomnographic Technologist
Respiratory Care Therapist
Surgical Technologist
Floral Designer
Wedding Planner
Cosmetology
Facial Specialist
Human Services - substance abuse counseling
Interpreter Training Technology
Microsoft Office Specialist
Oracle Certification
Information Technology Core certification
Programming Specialist
Computer Engineering Technology
Geographic Information Systems Analyst
Geographic Information Systems Technician
Network and Computer System Administrator
Computer Networking
Cisco Certified Networking Associate
Computer Support Technician
Fire Science Technology
Basic Structural Firefighter Certificate
Paralegal Studies
EMT Basic
Business Administration Marketing
Biotechnology
Architectural Engineering Technology
Chassis and Electrical Technician
General Service Technician
Power Train and Driveability Technician
Professional Truck Driver



Note that I didn't include some things that were variations of something posted. I also looked at only one of the CC systems here. The other major CC system near here has some of these same programs as well as others. For example, the above systems doesn't have culinary arts or hotel and restaurant service or visual merchandising. The other CC system does have those programs.

I'm not saying that every one of those programs is a good career. Some of them aren't. But, many of them are programs that prepare people for perfectly good careers in needed fields that don't require a 4 year academic degree.