The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 75% of the contractors fail to find qualified workers. High school graduates are forced to enter colleges that do not offer such certifications. These trades can make a difference for young adults searching for employment opportunities.
Those opposed to community colleges claim that such colleges are a waste of time and manipulate students into enrolling in a four-year program that may cost them a fortune. However, that’s not the case. If you think about it, you’re getting a two-year degree after high school, which makes your academic portfolio worth being acknowledged. And it’s not a waste of time, given that many jobs in the market require a two-year associate’s degree rather than a four-year bachelor’s degree. So, this can be a great way for you to start your professional journey.
In some cases, community colleges are considered a prerequisite for transfer to a better university program, which might give students more time to figure out their academic options. Since universities typically offer a broader range of degree options in more specialized areas of study, you have to think about what you want. We suggest that you think about your career aspirations before committing to a decision while getting enrolled in a community college.
Another thing you must consider is the experience you’re looking to attain from college, whether a university or a community college. A four-year university program is a viable option if you’re looking to become a medical doctor. But a two-year associate’s degree could also be a good option if you want to enroll in a business degree. Nonetheless, the choice comes down to your career objectives and life goals, and there is no wrong answer here.
Gone are the days when community colleges were blamed for reducing the quality of education. Even during the early 2000s, an associate’s degree from a junior college was looked down upon. People generally assumed (and it was true for the most part) that academic standards were lower and the classes weren’t rigorous. However, during the last 15 to 20 years of educational development, community colleges have improved their standard of education.
Students also claim that they learn just as much from a community college as they might from a university. The curriculum is similar to what you might find in a four-year bachelor’s university. Further, professors in a community college must have a master’s or, in some cases, a doctorate in their respective fields. You might indeed study from some inexperienced and younger teachers here and there, but you can also find seasoned veterans in the field. Further, these young teachers are enthusiastic about passing on knowledge to students and are eager to become better teachers. So, if you’re thinking about enrolling in a community college, stop thinking and do it.
We talked about how Charles Chadwick saved on dorm room expenses by staying close to home and enrolling in a local community college. Not just Charles, several other students saved a fortune by enrolling in a community college and staying in their parent’s place. That’s what community colleges offer to the students. On top of the quality education, community colleges facilitate ease of accessibility and a sense of comfort.
Further, the open-enrollment policy in community colleges allows students to make local friends and not move far away from their homes. These colleges also want to cater to the local audience and improve the number of college grads in the area. Let’s not forget that most students don’t even consider college education, because they cannot afford tuition. So, institutions that care about offering higher education to young adults at affordable prices and convenience are no less than a blessing in disguise.
Imagine that you’re enrolled in an Ivy school and feel stuck. Let’s think about it. You’re enrolled in a good school and chose a program you want to change. But you’ll be surprised that the courses you completed wouldn’t be considered prerequisites for the new major that you’re planning to choose. That’s a lot of money and time lost.
A community college offers you a chance to test the waters that will drastically cost lesser than a four-year degree university. Further, you can also explore different classes and fields to learn which career path appeals to you the most. A community college education can be especially beneficial for students who just graduated high school, because they can achieve personal growth and mature during this time. During this phase, they can learn multitasking and time management skills, which are crucial in different professional settings. Yes, you can learn all these elements in a four-year degree college, perhaps, even better, but other distractions can impact your academic learning.
Usually, high school graduates work to pay off their tuition fees and handle other expenses. However, enrolling in a four-year college degree can make it difficult to manage your expenses, given the extra social activities and academic pressure. According to Community College Research Center (CCRC), more than 60 percent of community college students work during their studies, and more than 30 percent work more than 30 hours weekly. Further, some students are parents, so they juggle classes, jobs, and full-time parental responsibilities.
Most community colleges understand that the students require flexibility to fulfill their personal needs. So, they offer weekend and night classes, which are hard to find in four-year university education. A community college is a perfect solution if you want to work while in school or take care of your children’s school schedule.
As mentioned before, you can also enroll in your favorite school after an associate’s degree. A report from the Center for Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment elaborated that associate degree-holders around $4,640 to $7,000 per year, which helps them pay off for the next degree they are about to pursue. Another perspective is to consider that when you’re working while enrolled in a four-year university, you’re earning a high school graduate income that limits your finances. On the other hand, if you’re earning an associate’s degree, it not only helps you graduate with less debt, but also improves your chances of landing a better job than a high school diploma holder.
Charles Chadwick is one of those individuals who thrived by availing community college education, and he’s doing quite well. But now, he wants to help other students make better financial decisions, especially with the looming global recession. He suggests that community college not only allows students different options before choosing the right field, but also helps them learn different skills that are necessary to lead a good life. His books, College Checklist 2021 and Cultivated Circumstances 2022, are great guides for those young dreamers concerned about college debt or learning a trade, forcing them not to realize their dreams.
The author shares his experiences earning college degrees from a community college and a traditional university. He also shared funding opportunities and options for paying college costs while taking care of financial responsibilities. So, even if you’re opting to enroll in a four-year university, be prepared for everything.
Community college is a great option for students from weak financial backgrounds who don’t want to depend on student loans and can work and then pay as they go! Further, high school students are generally confused about the career path they wish to take, so this can be a perfect pitstop for them before they enroll in the field or trade of their choice. However, remember that you can only succeed in a community college if you know what kind of experience you’re looking for.
College FinancingYou may miss out on some elements of the “college experience” you always wanted, but you can kickstart your professional and financial journey. However, if you’re dead set on enrolling in a traditional four-year university, ensure you have the financial means to do it and not drown yourself in debt. If not, then start exploring community college options in your area.
For centuries now, colleges have been the benchmark for attaining high-quality education. In order to groom yourself and become the best version of yourself, you have to attend kindergarten, learn their ABCs, polish the language at school, perfect the speech at college, and voila, you’re ready to leave the nest and take on the big leagues. Soar with the big birds. But is it all that convenient? Is a degree enough to make you compete for the designation you dream of attaining? Is college really the only pathway to knowledge?
The debate is one that may ruffle a few feathers amongst students. Rightfully so, it is not easy to digest that something you are spending on instead of, well, buying a piece of land or investing in a business is overrated—an understandably provocative thought.
Charles Chadwick, an author and a student possessing two degrees, is someone who managed to pay back all his student loans with interest and now is debt free. He asserts that he achieved all this through an acquired skill that the college did not help him develop. And he didn’t pay a dime to learn it. All it required was an in-depth study of the trade industry.
He admits he represents a fraction of America’s working class, but also hopes his books, College Checklist 2021 and Cultivated Circumstances 2022, cause a rise in the country’s current number of working professionals. He further aims for his books to provide a guidebook for students struggling through the same issues and help them flourish amid debt and acquire long-term skill that takes them out of anxiety and depression.
father owned a plumbing business and taught him non-conventional ways of negotiating, selling, and adding value before any self-help book ever did. And evidently, that fact alone has taken him further financially than the degrees he possesses. Given his know-how and experience in the market, Chadwick has observed that the trade industry of plumbers, electricians, and HVAC have more job security than college graduates with a history degree. He states that even the dire circumstances of the pandemic left his job security unscathed. All of this was made possible through the trade construction sector.
Choosing a trade as the genesis of your professional and academic journey aligns with the American dream. You’re free to experiment, to be autonomous in your decisions. The ability to decide without hindrance aids personal and mental development. We can rebuild a better America, but we cannot do it with just degrees alone. It requires us to revert to our roots of trades, to what was once the backbone of our economy. Current president Joe Biden has a goal he wants to accomplish during his tenure that actually has a connection to the trade industry. “Build a Modern Infrastructure”: The United States has consistently underinvested in the development of workers, and millions of positions in rising industries, such as construction and healthcare, have not been fulfilled.
Here are some interesting facts! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, skilled trades rank among the top ten most difficult to fill positions. Seventy-five percent of contractors are finding it challenging to find qualified workers. Young people aren’t entering these professions as older tradespeople retire. While high schoolers are encouraged to attend college, despite the deteriorating value of a bachelor’s degree and soaring college debt, trades are largely overlooked and underfunded. The skilled trades need young people, those in career transition, women, and minorities. Although women make up 57 percent of the workforce in the U.S., they make up 9 percent of those in the construction industry, which includes both skilled tradespeople and unskilled labor.
Instead of swimming with the sharks, Americans are drowning in student debt. When we should be focusing on how to improve in our respective jobs and as individuals for longevity, we are piling up more and more student debt. These hefty loans lead to disastrous circumstances for individuals. Instead of picking up the defaulter notice of the student loan disaster, it’s easier to pick up a hammer and get to work, dig, scratch, and claw if needed, all while maintaining integrity.
Today, the trade industry is more accessible than ever. Students can conveniently look for jobs online or start small businesses by capitalizing on social media audiences. Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube offer reasonable options to market your product. It’s also comparatively easier to get hired on these jobs sometimes than those requiring a college degree. If you don’t believe me, head to a job site and ask for guidance and any insight. You can start with little to no skills and earn from the first day. The daily errands you usually would carry out in your household can be a labor-intensive service you provide and get paid for it on the spot.
If only students with a lifetime’s worth of loan debt/bills had attained some trade skills to establish an income stream, they could have lived free of or with well-managed debt. Today, one of the most frequent headlines is “Student loan forgiveness.” Graphs and figures merely show how flawed our educational system is. Almost deliberate is such negative advocacy. If only these students knew better, these institutions would cease to exist. Banks won’t be able to cash in on the needy through interest fees on their loans.
The trade or retail industry can provide you the same platform a college would, with a plus point, the chance to earn a fortune.
The barter system was the first mode of exchanging goods and services, business at its rawest, before currency fluctuations, stocks, and whatnot. The learning curve is pulling off your first sale, regardless of the magnitude, from your first lemonade stand to selling a property. You aren’t preparing for the life ahead, but already living in it, swimming with the sharks.
It’s undeniable that most young people spend most of their lives working. The quality of the life they’re living varies. Though, the crux is the same. Hypothetically, if you were a loan servicer, it wouldn’t be good business on your part to have the loan paid off so early. The interest fee on top of the loan would be your bread and butter. You’d prolong the loan until the debtor has a job and can earn enough to pay it off easily. This is why Charles knows the government will keep postponing and introducing new ways to keep collecting student loan payments, but will never forgive them all at once.
