Is a college diploma essential to long-term career success? For some, perhaps, but not all.
Consider this list of ultra-wealthy college drop-outs. Media stars Oprah Winfrey and Rush Limbaugh never finished college either.
Here in my college town (with two land grant universities located less than 8 miles from where I'm sitting), the college diploma is a big deal, even though in many cases, it offers no guarantee that the recipients, many saddled with student loan debt, are going to land their dream job.
Meanwhile, there are local businesses—contractors, construction companies, HVAC businesses, auto service shop, and others—who can't find enough qualified people to fill lucrative positions in these fields, which is hampering their growth. A skilled cement worker, brick mason, plumber, mechanic, HVAC installer, etc., etc. could be making great money in our market...if only they were available.
The lack of skilled tradespeople appears to be a nationwide problem.
NPR recently carried a great story on this: High-Paying Trade Jobs Sit Empty, While High School Grads Line Up For University. One of many indicators that college may not be the best choice for today's high school graduates, according to the story: "Some 30 million jobs in the United States that pay an average of $55,000 per year don't require bachelor's degrees."
Are there businesses in your market who are struggling to find skilled employees? What are they doing to address the shortage? Are you finding ways to help them recruit applicants from within your listening area?
