College Degree =/= Good Job

reply to post by jjf3rd77


I don't think people are blind to success. You're idea of success may be different than theirs. I chose to go into Nursing, not because it was highly successful or economically a great idea, but because I had a strong urge to serve others, to care for others, to be a caregiver essentially. Luckily nursing is a decently paid profession.

I think it's important for people to pursue their interests, passions, purpose..... that's what school is suppose to be about, regardless of "success", because at the end of the day your "successful" career may become nothing more than a paycheck....

$1,000 a week is where I am heading.

To me, coming from a poor upbringing this seems like winning the lottery. I know it really is not alot of money, but when you are used to only making $200 a week it is a major improvement.

I got tired of working at a dead end job after 11 to 12 years and making squat. I went to the local community college for welding technologies and graduated my two year course. My instructor thought that with my math skills and work ethics I should go to the union hall and test for the sheet metal trade. I paid my $20 and took the all day test. After hearing all of the other guys complaining about it will probably take 6 months for them to call me, I didn't pay too much attention to the job. In under three weeks I got a phone call from the hall and they hooked me up with a mechanical contractor that is in the HVAC and architectual metals industry. I am employed to a great company and I enjoy the work.

After one year in and my garunteed raise every six months(5% of journeyman's pay) I sometime's question if it is worth it. Lj01 will stick with it because rigth now there is plenty of work and I really enjoy it. The only downside and the only reason why I sometimes get "mentally down" is because of the driving. I will hang in there and work it out from there. I live in a part of the country where $50,000 to $60,000 a year is a pretty good living.

I am not too picky and I realize that you have to work in a field where there is work.

To tell you the truth and I am not trying to ruffle any feathers here, I am mostly reading or hearing people around me all whinning and belly aching, coming from people that are really either too lazy to work or just think they are too proud to get out and work up a sweat. Why go into computers, if the companies are not hiring any entry level computer techs? That just blows me away. How many accountants does a company need to tell them that they are losing money and the situation is grim?

So while most are complaining about no work, I chose a field in which there is work. Yeah it is rough, Yeah I get banged up, Yeah it is hard on the body, but at the end of the day/week I am bringing in a pretty nice and steady paycheck. Not only that, travel through southern Illinois and you might see some of my work, especially at SIUE.

So my thoughts are people can keep complaining that there is no desk jobs all cozy in the a/c. Well all I can say is that I am working installing the a/c.

Laziness is what it boils down too. The lack enthusiasm for "real work" is what everybody's problem is. If the bottom ever falls out on my industry I will not hesitate to move on to the next line of work.

Where there is work, there is LJ01.

So have fun putting in 1,000's of applications for a job where there are 1,000's of others just like you looking for the same work. The odds really are against you.

I realize that and I grew out of the "fairy tale" a/c no work, work.

If you want it, you have to go get it because unless you were born into money, no one is there to help you really succeed. Yeah you may get some help but unless you really want it, you have to go out and get it for yourself.

I really do not mean to offend anyone and I am really not speaking about anyone in this thread. This is my opinion and observations from the people and community around me.

Everyone wants the sweet sit down jobs. That is fine with me because I will be the person working because nobody wants to break a fingernail or bust a nuckle. ( I bleed almost every day). I feel that some just need a serious reality check in the world in which they live.

I assure you, I am not on any high horse. I fight my demons sometimes on a daily basis. I am trying to make it in a world where life is tough and I really want the best for my children.

Good luck everyone.

Sorry, but if you aren't stupid college is a perfectly viable option.

If you get a fake (useless) major or half-ass your major, you will indeed have a higher chance to fail and likely have just wasted time + money.

Not everybody is suited for college, but almost all people are being pushed into it. Consider technical schools if you can't write papers or do heavy math.

have no college degree, only high school, i earn 7K a month, in a third world country... bad economy, in the states maybe, have both CNN of the USA and CNN in Spanish, its hilarious the difference since Spanish version says surplus in economic boost, plus USA sending money to my neighboring countries and mine... just saying.

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Originally posted by VekTorVik

When I was in college there was a kid who informed me he was majoring in Psychology with a music emphasis. What the hell is that? What kind of work could he possibly find with that type of degree, realistically?

If your friend was musically talented he may have been looking at music therapy, which sounds like an amazing profession to be in if you are going into pysch and you're are musically inclined.

Music therapy is an allied health profession and one of the expressive therapies, consisting of an interpersonal process in which a trained music therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help clients to improve or maintain their health

A degree in music therapy requires proficiency in guitar, piano, voice, music theory, music history, reading music, improvisation, as well as varying levels of skill in assessment, documentation, and other counseling and health care skills depending on the focus of the particular university's program.

Being around the military, I was able to conclude that someone, somewhere, will always need an accountant....AND I enjoy it! Hooray!

The real problem is that people are still under the assumption that a college degree will guarantee you a job. College is a multifaceted industry designed with one goal in mind: profit.

If you want to survive in the emerging modern world then you need to adapt. The old method of going to school then right to work, the method our parents employed, is obsolete.

Who wants to have a job anyway? go into business for yourself. Find something your good at, find people who will pay you to do it and then make it happen. Simple as that

I have read this entire thread from start to finish.... I have college orientation in 7 hours.. Needless to say, this thread has influenced me quite a bit on where I will be studying for the next four years.

Thanks everyone.

I'm currently working on my undergrad degree in Mechanical Engineering. I was originally a Biology student at Ohio State University but I transferred to Cleveland State for financial reasons.

My roommate at OSU is majoring in Computer Science & Engineering, entering his Senior year. He landed an internship at NASA two summers ago and this summer he's doing an internship at JP Morgan with a salary of $27 an hour. Let me say that again, $27 an hour for a summer internship.

Many other friends of mine that are taking up different types of engineering/ computer science majors have all had no trouble landing co-ops, internships, and jobs. Its my buddies that have degrees in writing, fashion, art, that are having a hard time finding decent work.

Just from being around so many college students and working on my degree, its pretty safe to say that if you stick with something that is math/physics/ computer based, maintain a decent gpa, you'll land a pretty decent job. Mind you, some of these kids have GPA's between a 2.4-2.9 and are landing internships that pay $20+.

My friends that don't go to college, well, lets say that none of them are near $20/hr and many of them won't be seeing that type of money for years to come unless they further their education.

Personally, I'm skeptical of people who say you don't need a college education to make a good living. There are people that can, but they are one in a dozen.

Fact is, if you're looking to make money, decide on a major that is heavy in mathematics in some form, whether it be physics, engineering, computer science, whatever. They involve that most strenuous course loads, but it pays off at the end of the day.

Check out this link, its from 2011, but I'm sure it hasn't changed much in 2012. Numbers don't lie.

education-portal.com...

I don't have a college degree.. I'm only 21 and I'm building 1000+ horsepower street freak muscle cars on a daily basis..

Passion will take you further then a piece of paper.

reply to post by jjf3rd77


Hahahahahaha

Education is under your "best" list? Have you discussed that with educators who would without a doubt laugh in your face?

I didn't need a college degree. I write erotica and am doing quite well for myself.

Originally posted by AnIntellectualRedneck
reply to post by notionfreely

 

I'm coming from a standpoint of my experience plus stories that I've heard from several in my generation. As for subjective, declaring random degrees useless is also pretty subjective. Just because I it's hard to say that "A" degree leads directly to "B" job doesn't make "A" degree completely useless.

I'm fairly confident that is exactly the point I was trying to assert.

When I was 16, I got pregnant by my boyfriend at the time. He was straight A, Honors, and college bound for Purdue. His parents wanted me to abort and go away so I would not "ruin their son's success". But as I am not one to turn my back on responsibility, I had my baby. He left us anyway
Well, he went his way, I went mine. He got a degree (and accumulated massive debt) and now works in the aeronautical field. I did not get a degree, but instead ending up working at the San Diego Zoo (some of the best times of my life!) and also spent years as an Admin Asst for an HVAC Engineering company.
When I met my husband, he was a Postdoc with a PhD in Biochemistry working for UCSD. I actually made more money than him at the time being an admin. Always found it weird..here I was, a HS dropout, both of us the same age and he was earning less than me.
Well eventually I was laid off because of the economy and he had moved onto a better job provided by his Green Card that I helped him get (obviously). Now, he is making quite a bit in his field and I am a stay-at-home mom. It is the best job I have ever had and doesn't pay anything!
Everyone wins, though and I take care of all the house and he is a Scientist and also teaches courses.
My daughter is definitely one of the first list. She is an artist. I could tell her to forget what she loves and become something more "profitable"..but that makes no sense to me. Spending many years poor, I have learned that you really have to do what you love. I would never tell her to go to a 4-year college and build up lots of soul-crushing debt. Instead, she plans to take courses at a local college to give her a leg-up in her chosen field. She might never be a millionaire, but I know she will be happy.
Back to my original story..my ex (her dad) now works his bum off to support his other 4 children and ex-wife. He is not happy at all, and still paying off debt from his college years. He tells me that he wishes he actually went to school to be a teacher as he would be happier. Interesting.

Originally posted by sheepslayer247
ETA: Agriculture is worthless? Do you not eat?

edit on 18-6-2012 by sheepslayer247 because: (no reason given)

This made me laugh! So true!

I think it also depends on your motivation to excel in the given field you have chosen. It's true that there are different demands for different types of work and some degrees are better suited to finding work in the current economic environment, but that does not mean that those that are not in demand are useless. I completed an Arts degree myself and while this has not directly led me to any career opportunities as yet, I do not regret taking the degree. I managed to do a range of subjects (including Writing, Psychology, Philosophy, History, IT etc.) that enabled me to learn a lot of skills that help me in everyday life.

reply to post by sheepslayer247


I would have to disagree with saying that agriculture is profitable. Myself as a small cattle and grain farmer am living in deep financial debt. In 20 years all the farm land around my area will be ran by the Chinese. They already have begun buying massive amounts of land driving up land prices.

It’s not that degrees are useless. I have an MBA. BUT i am also $56K in debt with student loans. So I went to school to get a degree to get a better job, to make more money so that now I can pay for the degree, for the next 10 years. Ok so I did just become a single mom and sole provider and that makes it harder. If I had 2 incomes then yes, there would be some relief. However it just seems that the "extra" money I am making from getting a better paying job is paying off the loans. So in essence I am still at my original lower rate of pay. Super Frustrating!!

Double

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