A Diploma is No Longer Enough
(Chart taken from www. detnews.com )Under normal circumstances I am against new government entitlements, but I am beginning to think that there is one that would be a good idea, if we can come up with the money to do it.
Today's Detroit News carries an article that includes a chart showing education requirements for new jobs opening up in Michigan, and it does not look good for those with High School Diplomas (and looks almost hopeless for High School dropouts.)
A HS dropout will be qualified for only 10% of the new jobs that are coming to Michigan. A HS Diploma will qualify you for another 22% of the jobs. Some post-secondary training (ie an Associates Degree) will qualify you for another 36% of the jobs and a Bachelor's Degree is needed for 31% of them.
A K-12 education is no longer enough. I do not know how we are going to afford it, but we are going to need to extend free public education for at least 2 more years.
Just a few thoughts to add. It is not worthwhile to give this to everyone as these years would be very expensive and should only go to those who will actually use them constructively. I would allow those 2 years to be added to those who get a minimum score in state-wide testings (say the top 2/3 of the states HS graduates each year - I don't know what the numbers would actually be.) If it was limited to just the state of Michigan I would require that the recipients graduate from a Michigan High School, having been a resident of Michigan for the last two years. Possibly a few more requirements.
Of course I am dreaming because the money is simply not there and more taxes would hurt us worse. However I do believe that we will eventually have to extend free education if we are to compete.
posted by shoprat at 8:31 PM
5 Comments:
Here's an idea to make a Public School education a bit better. Instead of two more years get rid of the government run monopoly! Allow states to give parents the option of what kind of schooling their child can get through a voucher program.
Things only get better through competition.
Their looking at a systems up here for this as well. One idea that seemed kind of acceptable was a free university/college degree. You had to sign a contract that you would work in the prov(your case state) for a min. 5 years after graduation. If you dropped out or failed that year, you had to pay for it. There was a lot more to it then that, but it seemed to be a good trade off for the tuition, and recovery of funds after.
Both of you have good thoughts. However we do it though, we need a solution.
The education gap is a potentially much bigger problem than the lack of medical coverage.
I agree with you, Shoprat. It's a huge problem indeed. But we need better education as well. I have met college graduates who cannot write a complete sentence without making a mistake.
I do not know how we are going to afford it, but we are going to need to extend free public education for at least 2 more years.
You nailed it precisely. The money is there and where's there's a will, there's a way - but where's the will?
I'm thinking of floating this idea: If you want money for further education then sign up for bootcamp. One year of bootcamp = one year of further education. I don't mean a draft but I would like to see a bunch of our kids see some serious discipline. Education means nothing without discipline. I'm not talking combat. (I don't like the draft.)
Maybe these under-educated kids could just do KP (which nowadays mean packing dried and frozen supplies) and free up some pros.
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