Mike Rowe makes bold claim about 4-year college degrees

MikeRoweWorks Foundation CEO Mike Rowe argues that four-year college degrees are no longer seen as a source of pride by graduates on 'Varney & Co.' #foxbusiness #varney
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[@AmericaFirst2]

One of the biggest problems is you are required to take a dozen nonsense classes to get the class you actually need

[@pneulancer]

Absolutely. The first two years of college are simply a re-hash of last two of H.S.

[@williamroberts5716]

I had to memorize the Periodic Table of Elements. Can't say I've ever had the need to use that info.

[@rufusmcgee4383]

So true! I had to take 4 quarters of college-level English being taught stuff I already knew because-reasons!!

[@olly305]

That is facts. Im in the healthcare field and i had to take world history. When is the knowledge of world history going to help me treat patients that are having a heart attack? Seriously. Schools are a business and ethically incorrect in making money off of people trying to get an education. The funny thing is that schools make it a requirement for certain programs and the credits are not transferable, isnt that a full tank of human waste.

[@mattr6688]

Yup. Currently attending to get a bachelors in business + finance. I have to take an English class and US History class. How will that help me understand economics, risk assessment or even do what I do now, help people manage a budget over their own finances.

[@cliffordcooley1273]

They could make it two years if they stopped the BS courses and actually taught.

[@mirzaahmed6589]

Also there needs to be more summer courses, and financial aid for it. Students in the US spend 20 weeks or more per year not going to school.

[@WholesomeDough]

The current complaints among employers are that while students can do the basics of their job they lack all other skills. Reading, writing, general comprehension, communication, and general world understanding. Those skills are taught through the "BS courses". Whether you like it or not, well rounded people tend to be more valuable.

[@Tech21101]

​@@WholesomeDough But those courses are still being taught, to apparently little effect according to your statement. This implies a failure of the system to actually teach these basic skills. I don't have any solution to that problem, I'm just stating my observation.

[@aylahughes9185]

they could just hire and place based on iq right out of highschool. everyone takes the sat. its an iq test....

[@greg9069]

@@WholesomeDoughthose skills are taught through business and service experience, someone who worked as a server, personal trainer, sales person etc has developed how to be mature and articulate in a business setting where there pay is determined by their quality of service… versus the frat bro who didn’t work, because his dad is rich and he’s gonna inherit the company and run it to the ground.. it’s a flawed system, I have no respect for people who “just went to college”

[@Matt-wf7ry]

There isn't anything really bold about his statement, he is really just stating the reality of the current higher education system in the USA.

[@ScottMcChicken]

The bold statement he made was that working full time doesn't mean you should be able to support yourself and others.

[@middleagedbaldguy6774]

@@bubba328 we dont live in a free market though. We live in an oligarchy.

[@keithsmd1948]

Frank Zappa once said, "If you want to get educated, go to the library. If you want to get laid, go to college."

[@slipstreamvids7422]

@@keithsmd1948tell that to your doctor or accountant.

[@jtrueman]

@@bubba328What does that even mean? If a corporation isn’t making money it goes out of business. And if it goes out of business, all the people that company employs lose their jobs . So, making profits IS looking out for people.

[@tommy85556]

Bring back trades in high school!!! ✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽

[@bellamichelle22]

they left? where have I been...

[@user-un7fp8rq9j]

Yes! And home economics! Teach kids how to budget and invest!

[@Creole_Lady]

@@user-un7fp8rq9j that’s a parent’s responsibility to teacher their children to budget and invest. What the school won’t do the parents should

[@KHOVA0473]

✊🏾

[@Borodin410]

Conservative governments cut those programs.

[@mpetersen6]

This lunacy started as soon as the "everyone has to go to college" began.

[@amandahuginkiss4098]

if everyone stands up in a stadium you don't get a better view

[@neilkurzman4907]

Yes, everyone has to go to college. It’s not a good plan. A worse plan is nobody goes to college.

[@mpetersen6]

@@neilkurzman4907 Note l didn't say that. For certain professions a bachelor's or post graduate degree is definetly required. Other paths in life are better served with an associate's or an apprenticeship. The sad thing in society today at least as far as the education industry (1) is that by their estimation is that those not suited for any occupation requiring training should be doomed to a life of ever decreasing expectations. That said education is always valuable to the individual. If you have an interest in a certain field anywhere from astronomy to zoology have at it. Just realize that the job market may not be large enough to allow you to find a position in that field. And unless one is independently wealthy gainful employment is always good as one does need to eat. 1) Don't kid yourself. It is an industry. They sell a product and dreams. They produce a finished good. They constantly seek to increase the income and profitability of their "industry".

[@metalliholic]

Wtf are they talking about that it started 3 years ago? They have been talking about this for decades.

[@kenofken9458]

That lunacy worked for a lot of years. From the end of WW II to at least the 1980s, getting a college degree in any field even as a C- student guaranteed you a solid gig in middle management.

[@chrisbalsamo968]

I completely agree with his statement. I received my BS in 2010 and the job I have now has nothing to do with my education.

[@ImSerg]

I received mine last year and started close to 6 figures. I really don’t know what YOU’re doing wrong

[@user-sh2xi8gb7o]

I am completely the opposite. With my college degree, I was able to come to USA and do my graduate studies for free ( tuition waiver plus a stipend ). After obtaining my advanced degree from a US university the US government provided me permanent residency in the US. Now I am teaching what I learned in my degrees to US students, who are really not interested in education. I am doing my best to motivate them to study but it is a uphill task. Because of this, many many advanced technical jobs will move to other countries or educated people from foreign countries (like me) will take up US jobs needs advanced degrees.

[@smittywerbenjagarmanjensen3059]

@@ImSerg i worked night shift and went to school during the day for 2 years for my Associates. Each semester was about $2500 give or take and I payed for it in full as I went. I’m now an electrician making over 100k a year with zero college debt. Trade school is 100% the way to go. It was hard af those 2 years with little sleep working full time and going to class but worth it in the end.

[@BrianK-zz4fk]

@@user-sh2xi8gb7oyou dont need a degree for tech, just the passion to learn it and create better. College is terrible with regard to the field as it teaches old tech thats not relevant now.

[@tryscience]

you might still have gotten the job, because you proved you met a standard.

[@lorenstribling6096]

My older son has a high school diploma. When he graduated he got a job in a body shop. He learned on the job and is now training other employees. He makes very good money and is happy with his work. No student loan debt and he is always in demand. I could not be prouder of him.

[@caravanlifenz]

My parents pushed me into going to university and I wish I'd disobeyed and not gone. It took me years to pay off the debt. In the meantime, those who got minimum wage jobs were promoted to managers and earned more than I did as a data analyst. Being a well-behaved, obedient child really worked out badly for me.

[@ousamaabdu794]

That is great to be proud of your son for his Blue Collar success. He will really thank you for it. I own a small and successful landscaping business, zero debt. My mother couldn't be more ashamed as she always wanted me to be a college educated, White Collar worker.

[@lorenstribling6096]

@@ousamaabdu794 Would she have been proud of a college educated son if you had chosen a field she didn't like? Sometimes you just can't please people. If YOU are happy with your life and career that is what matters.

[@ousamaabdu794]

@@lorenstribling6096 Great point.. To be honest, I don't think anything would ever be enough to make her content. And thanks for the positive response. I'm quite proud of my blue collar lifestyle. I love working with my hands in an outdoor environment. All the best to you my friend!

[@jordanyear2330]

Great job!

[@MidnightTacoRun]

The world screwed up big time when they told my generation (I'm 33) that the only way we could succeed is by going to college. Now we're seeing shortages of trade school jobs. And of course the new push is "college bad". Guess what, next we're going to be short on doctors, nurses, engineers, etc etc. The world needs to stop being so reactionary and start being a little proactive. This whole thing is so unbelievably simple. College is not for everyone, just like trade school is not for everyone. The world needs both groups of people. Regardless of what profession the parents are in they need to expose kids to a variety of things. See if they enjoy math and science, see if they enjoy biology or chemistry, see if they enjoy working with their hands or creating things. Once the kids find something they enjoy and are good at then the parents should be encouraging them to get into something related to that as a profession.

[@LINJ638]

True. What if you don’t belong to any of these categories???? Aren’t you considered to be expendable by societal standards as well?

[@nuinidoberg1902]

Going to college to become a doctor, nurse or engineer is important along with lots of other degrees. What the world needs less of is people graduating with degrees in gender studies, voice, communications, art appreciation and the likes. Useless degrees that don' lead to a job.

[@pocket83squared]

It's hard to believe that we live in a world where people would disagree with your comment. It's as though we've learned to learn nothing from history, and so we keep over-correcting, again and again, using emotion to spin little things into long-running problems. And thus, the world and all her politics have become sinusoidal, and nobody can simply be content.

[@Estelle2007]

As a fellow millennial (only a year younger than yourself), I am proud to see someone of my generation make sense. Both roles are necessary and that's why it's good for people to have different interests when it comes to careers to keep society balanced.

[@mansamusa2000]

Unfortunately I am 50 years old and my generation was told the same thing. I did just that and make over six figures however in a field that has zero to do with my degree. A degree was validation to show that you had the fortitude to complete something. Current day, society has sped up and the greedy US need folks with the skills and ready to hit the ground running not just a piece of paper. And to the guest crying about student loan forgiveness get a life.

[@isaias9319]

My biggest issue with my college experience was that a lot of classes I took in my first two years were taught to me in highschool. Biggest waste of time.

[@takotako808]

I went into college for forestry..... First 2 years I was learning about black tribes across the world..... 😂😅 ( It was for Hawaii national parks )

[@marilynman]

That is one of the biggest issues on bachelors degrees. You try to get an engineering degree and you have to take at least 2 political classes, at least 2 history classes, at least 2 optional classes (I took anthropology because I thought it was interesting, the other one I don't remember), etc. Another issue is that they force your degree to be 4 years by compressing a lot of difficult and extensive classes in single semesters, a big mistake. I did it in 5 years because I stopped with their ridiculous expectations so I could have a decent GPA instead of killing myself not sleeping and sacrificing social life. The funny thing is that you can have a 3 year or less degree if you could have classes that are about your degree. Another thing that happened to me is that I had 3 final exams in a single day. So far that is unheard of, I was going to talk it out with one of my teachers but thought that I was just going to delay one exam and I had to take it another day (which meant I had to go to school another day and I was already tired at that point) so I just went with it. One of them was Economy for engineering so it was easy, but the other 2 were a nightmare.

[@SS-th9wz]

I agree - and the same classes I took my first two years in college were easier than they were in high school.

[@batsonelectronics]

I took all advanced classes in HS, I was able to test and skip all the 101 classes my first year, back in the 80's.

[@user-vr1uy4di9b]

@@takotako808ouch

[@johndee2077]

I couldn’t agree more. Bring back apprenticeships in all fields.

[@paulfeste6904]

Could not agree more!

[@zarategabe]

Apprenticeships for what? The USA has been completely deindustrialized.

[@mpetersen6]

@@paulfeste6904 Only today a lot employers would rather hire people who wer trained somebody else

[@racerx2502]

"Don't worry John. Stan, isn't a medical surgeon nor does he have a medical degree, but he has been through our surgical apprenticeship program." Does that statement instill confidence in you? :)

[@alcoballic9593]

What’s funny is if you’re a plumber or an electrician the last thing you want is more ppl in your market driving down your cost.

[@jamesb2714]

I’m so glad an electrician working on my parents house in high school asked me if I wanted a job, now I have a career

[@Djacob_]

Was that before or after you had to take state accredited courses in order to become an electrician?

[@maxmilernjdmba.9750]

@@Djacob_ Apparently, was still in high school.

[@Kal-El207]

@@Djacob_Exactly. People screaming TRADES TRADES TRADES. Yet don’t explain the amount of money and time it takes to get registered and licensed to even do it in the first place.

[@Kal-El207]

@@maxmilernjdmba.9750Good for them. Wish my HS had that.

[@loisscudero1674]

My beef with universities is that it’s no longer about the education but instead about renting a dorm room to a kid who doesn’t have a job and can’t afford it and will be paying for it for the rest of their life with their student loan. They are glorified landlords.

[@mcmans.]

UNIVERSITY IS GLORIFIED BABYSITTING FOR ADULT CHILDREN THAT CAN NOT SUPPORT THEMSELVES

[@kevinreily2529]

So true.

[@lofigamingpoet]

Good point 👌

[@ZTrigger85]

My teacher in 2004, “If you don’t go to college, you will be a second class citizen.” Everyone listened and now there’s nothing advantageous about a degree in many fields.

[@user-sh2xi8gb7o]

I am a STEM teacher. There are many jobs in STEM, they need lot of math! US students simply don't like math, and eventually these jobs will go to foreign countries or foreign nationals. US needs a strong math education at secondary level.

[@blue797]

Unfortunately, there are gigantic DISadvantages if you don't have a degree still. Your resume likely won't even make it past the first automated filter without a degree in most cases.

[@tryscience]

The key is to not work in the fields where it doesn't matter. Might I suggest, work a job where you need that degree, and that pays far more.

[@jefflewis4]

Keep thinking that, that's less competition for the higher paying jobs for the rest of us with degrees. The less people that get degrees is better job security for us. Keep it up tell more people a degree has no advantages.

[@tryscience]

@@jefflewis4 Republicans love to pay slave wages so it's no surprise they would promote someone that poo poohs education

[@korbinsworld24]

I am a perfect example of this. Started going to school for a mechanical engineering degree. Had to leave school for a few reasons, with funds being one of the biggest. Decided to start an electrical apprenticeship to become a journeyman. 4 years after completing that apprenticeship, I am a PM for one of the largest utility subcontractors in the US and Canada, managing techs from Hawaii to Maine and into Canada. I deal with some of the largest corporations in the world managing some of their most complex roadblocks. Every skill I need to do my job I gained through either experience, asking questions to experts in the field, or evaluating my failures. Do not let your lack of degree bring down your aspirations. Be a good person, work hard every day, and don't be afraid to take chances.

[@chrismoore1372]

Well said

[@christopherallen9476]

I am happy you found a company willing to do that. Now why don't you guess how many are willing to bring on every greenhorn that is applying?

[@metorphoric]

I worked as a recruiter in solar where I hired licensed electricians. Masters Electrician’s were making 6 figures

[@jenme7926]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing.

[@user-sg8kq7ii3y]

Ok, that's wonderful. I am very happy for you that you are successful. But if I'm hospitalized, and I needed a ventilator to survive, then I sure hope that the ventilator that's keeping me alive was designed by top-level mechanical and electrical engineers with college degrees from top colleges vs. a college drop out who became an electrician.

[@randallsmerna384]

In tte last 30 years tuition has increased a whopping 1400% !!! This is NOT OKAY!

[@3nertia]

Welcome to capitalism - Profits over People!

[@lightningfisher8177]

FUBAR.

[@randallsmerna384]

@@3nertia what's your solution? Socialism? 😂😂 Fine until the powerful take over and the money runs out.

[@Redmanticore]

I hope it increases to a billion percent, so nobody goes to university in the USA, except the extremely wealthy. Then you have the perfect society of just idiot plumbers, that have trouble reading. This is great for us, Europe, we gain a competitive advantage over you with our free university, and so will China. This anti-intellectual movement in the United States of America is a great development for us. Young man, don't become a brain surgeon, you´ll just become a Marxist feminist, thats not based. Dont have anything to do with women who read either, they aren't the based trad girls that you want. The U.S. ranks at middling quality of education compared to other countries, and Americans often lack basic knowledge and skills.[33][34] Various surveys have found, among other things: that 77% of American public school students cannot identify George Washington as the first President of the United States; that around 1 in 5 Americans believe that the Sun revolves around Earth; and that about 50% of American high school graduates are unprepared for college-level reading.[35] study published by the US Department of Education in 2019, which found that 21% of the adult residents of the richest and most powerful nation in the history of the human species are “unable to successfully determine the meaning of sentences, read relatively short texts to locate a single piece of information, or complete simple forms.” I expect this to only rise, in the USA.

[@bgarr99]

@@3nertia Capitalism works fairly well until government gets involved. What we have now are more collaborations between government and big businesses.

[@pinkparasollise9646]

40 years ago, I graduated from a major university in Philadelphia. $10,000 for 4 years. I lived with my parents in our safe, suburban home and took buses and the Broad Street subway. I took a student loan of $2,500 from the NDSL program which allowed me to pay back $30 a month. That $2,500 was A LOT OF MONEY for me back then, but I paid it off in 5 years. I could not imagine paying to go to college nowadays.

[@kevinerose]

In the 90s it was a bit more. I was paying about $20,000 for 4 years. I remember I had $10,000 saved up and also had another $10,800 in GI funding. I lived at home and just worked enough in the summer for spending money, food, and books. But I do remember the cost of tuition was going up 6% every single year that I was in school. And by the looks of it I'd say it has gone up 6% every year since for it to be $104,000

[@oldguybooksgames7346]

I agree. Lot of money. I was there too in that Era. Lot of people don’t realize the costs are all relative to what you made. My Dad made maybe 38k a year then. Which was ok money then but not a lot still and 2500 a year was a lot of money to us then and interest rates were high. I got money from working part time and stuff in college and grandparents helped and had a little money when got out of the Army but yeah College costs a lot. Regardless of what Decade or Century. I also worked as a welder and an apprentice machinist in a factory then and got laid off and went back to school. I ended up retiring from a career I never even majored in lol.

[@rudistorm3348]

$2500 may buy your books now for a year.

[@kevinerose]

@@oldguybooksgames7346 Yeah I'm the same way. I wish we had guidance counselors who could have helped us understand our options better. If I knew better what the different possibilities were, I would have never went to college. I can tell now I would have been better off not going to college. But kids today have counselors and all that stuff now but still choosing college for some reason.

[@jonwinder6622]

Education probably was better in the Philippines than US too, unbelievable how cheap that is compared to American universities

[@lot2196]

My son went to a trade school for electronics/robotics. 18 month course, 4 hours a day, 4 days a week. He is 27, he made $92,000 last year. No student loans.

[@Spiritof_76]

Did he earn a degree or certification?

[@cuve_ae]

@@Spiritof_76usually certs, accredited hours are hard to get from non institutional schools. I will say most trade employers would prefer certs or experience. I’m in the entertainment world and audio engineers / videographers are judged by previous projects & network connections.

[@BrianK-zz4fk]

@@Spiritof_76does it matter? Its a piece of paper and people pay for skills. If someone installs flooring and has done it great for a few years do they need a piece of paper saying they passed some paper test?

[@Chadillac-xq7xk]

​@@BrianK-zz4fkyes. Yes they do. Lol. But that's the issue. Nobody cares about experience of you haven't gotten your sheet of paper.

[@jadonmesfun6479]

@@Chadillac-xq7xk They care way more about experience than the diploma. Why do you think all of these college grads can't get jobs?

[@bbbae5968]

The cost of college is the same as paying for a small house in a middle income neighborhood.

[@garyszewc3339]

It was 50 years ago too.

[@somuchfortalent]

Maybe if you're a sucker.

[@SlickRickTPB]

yea but you pay for a house over 30 years...

[@rickyayy]

With ROI low unless you are in STEM or specialized tracks

[@bigb9257]

I will get backlash from viewers saying this, but it's a fact. I know we live in a society where people don't like facts, don't believe in facts and feeling overrides facts which is sad. The reason college costs have gone up year over year for the past 20-30 years is because of government. Our gov't has decided to be the sole provider for lending out tuitions to kids with parents who are clueless on finances and debt. Because the gov't had guaranteed the loan, bulk of the colleges are taking advantage of this and raising the prices year over year.

[@solarpunkliving]

as an HVAC dude, I get paid very well, and wont be replaced by ai. lets gooooo!

[@deepbludude4697]

Yep if I had to do it over id go HVAC

[@F.A.Q]

Thank a 4 year degree who is inventing and improving the technology you get to work on for living.

[@ignaciodominguez3214]

​@@deepbludude4697what are you doing now?

[@deepbludude4697]

@@ignaciodominguez3214 Retired, fixing things, diesel trucks, tractors, ATVs I enjoy offroad bikes buy them as cheap as I can fix them up flip them. I do firearms training as well for old team mates when needed. And even started doing some mud diving here. Oh and I fix HVACs for folks around me

[@akuengi]

@@F.A.Qif you actually knew what you were talking about you’d know most technology are being made by people who got their degrees 35+ years ago lol

[@Paintit33]

I completely agree with him, unfortunately most companies hiring will not even give an interview to somebody who has no 4 year degree and they pay $17 an hour it's ridiculous

[@hardcharging]

Those companies are starting to axe the degree requirement. It's not where it should be, but over 30% of employers have axed their degree requirements as of last year.

[@cameroonbreezygoat903]

@@hardchargingsure buddy. You can believe that if you want

[@errrzarrr]

This is what I've been saying all the time. He is so out of touch with reality

[@TheeBlackSilhouette]

@@hardcharging what do most internships,research assistantships, paid mentorship programs, fellowships,and other forms of *work experiences* have in common? *You have to be enrolled in college.*

[@Bav92]

@@hardchargingwe can’t find any of those jobs you’re referring to. All HR departments are sorting my husband out. Doesn’t matter he’s got 10x more knowledge than a recent grad. They still won’t take a look at him

[@stevethomas760]

I did a three year apprenticeship with the Ironworkers Local, school was two nights a week for nine months. Made a decent living and retired with a pension. Had some tough days but who doesn't? No shame in getting your hands dirty.

[@brianyoung4863]

Unfortunately the managers you answer to don't look at it that way

[@AQBPlays]

Bit different 40+ years ago

[@BruceLee-xn3nn]

Today all they want to hold is phone in one hand and their dk in the other.

[@pollypurree1834]

​Not really. College was a sick joke back then like it is today. However, college back then averaged $2,000 per year when the rightwing controlled it. The leftwing took over and look at the cost now. Most degrees are just as useless today as they were 40, 50, 100 years ago. College was always nothing more than a past time for the kids of the wealthy so they would have something to discuss at cocktail parties. It never led to a job unless it was in the medical field or law. ​@@AQBPlays

[@denverlilly3669]

Did you enjoy it?

[@marigoldtransportationgrou8016]

I’ve always felt like my CDL was waaaay more valuable than most 4 year degrees.

[@nelsonjackson5718]

It is and you don't go into debt

[@marigoldtransportationgrou8016]

@@nelsonjackson5718 AMEN. 🙏🏾

[@Michorida]

To bad these electric companies are trying to make electric robotic trucks that will take jobs

[@batsonelectronics]

it might be but normal jobs you come home at 5 or 6 pm. Part of your money is the schedule.

[@jmack619]

​@AntiLGBTQguy what are you talking about !

[@alexanderlyon]

And most 4-year schools have lowered the admission standards so far that they've had to make the classes themselves easier to keep the students from failing out. The grade inflation is terrible. A student who would not have passed 25 years ago is now getting Bs.

[@firewall705]

Yeah I don't agree with this statement

[@brianmaloney45]

When I was in college - late 80s - if your GPA fell below 2.0 you were put on probation, if you didn't get your GPA over 2.0 by the next semester you were expelled. If your GPA ever fell below 1.0 you were immediately expelled. Fast forward to 2013 and my best friend's kid heads off to college and comes home at Christmas break with a GPA of 0.0 (Channel your inner Dean Wormer voice). I laughed and asked him what McDonalds she would be working at and he informed me that she was going back in January. It seems that as long as you can pay the tuition - or get government backed student loans - you get to keep going back.

[@Gamebreaker08]

"A student who would not have passed 25 years ago is now getting Bs." that's cap, maybe a JUCO, but definetly not at a regular 4 year university

[@aolvaar8792]

@@SanDiegoBiz in 1960, 650 colleges>>now 6000 Gubment money.

[@aolvaar8792]

@@SanDiegoBiz 150MM>>350MM is 2.33X 650 x 2.33 = 1517 Why the explosion in colleges? "Free" money? I graduated from a #1 University, Highest Median Starting Salary from a public institution in the USA. Only 10 degrees offered, All engineering. 1400 SAT, top 1%, 3.75 GPA min to get in, It was Free, an alumnus paid for my education. Tuition was $1000/yr

[@diggingattycho7908]

The dirty secret, college was NEVER what it was cracked up to be.

[@diggingattycho7908]

@@bubba328 That's what they want you to think. It was never true. College teaches you to be a drone, do what they tell you, follow all of the instructions to the letter. But we will not teach you what you need, go to trade school for that. But that's bad.

[@sidneygray51]

@@bubba328 That money is from 80+ hour weeks in Manhattan, Bay Area, etc, extreme cost of living areas full of workaholics. It's not a real ROI like a real investment.

[@rudistorm3348]

@@diggingattycho7908 No there is statistical evidence that college graduates make more than those with out. But Mike Rowe makes a great point if you go to a trade school you can also make a great wage. The problem is many young people do neither.

[@rudistorm3348]

@diggingattycho7908 did you go to college Bubba? I graduated on the 90s. At that time they taught us to be free thinkers. I'm definitely no drone. For me college was a great experience which led me into a great career. Own my own business now so I'm no drone.

[@diggingattycho7908]

@@rudistorm3348 I went to major university in early 1990's. All the crap we see today I saw back then. But it wasn't as prevalent. Courses were designed to twist thinking. That's the mission of all education, the way they used to do it was very subtle. Only today those on the same mission not very good at it. But they think they are. Unfortunately these people have been at work on our education for over a century. Just because you passed through, doesn't mean others were not compromised. I have a good friend that was, I have to admit it's sad talking to him.

[@afaegfsgsdef]

Half of Americans have a 4-year degree, but probably less than 10% of jobs really need one.

[@xxxxx409]

35 percent of americans have a bachelors atleast

[@jmack619]

​@@xxxxx40976 % of statistics are made up 42% of the time. Including this one.

[@nlabanok]

37.7% of Americans have at least a bachelor's degree. It doesn't take a bachelor's degree to know that's a lot less than half.

[@SnakeDoctor303rd]

I'd love to see some stats for those claims

[@thewolfofgod3908]

Nowhere near half my guy.

[@DrProgNerd]

Looking back, most of the practical education I received was between 8th -10th grade. Beyond that, public school was just a place to corral kids - presumably to prevent them from flooding the work-force. The truly valuable education I received was as an adult - reading used books that could be picked up for a few bucks.

[@Franklinguy759]

I live near Amish/ Mennonite country in Pa. There is allot of very successful businesses run by people with an 8th grade education. Not saying this to promote the lifestyle, they just demonstrate that success can be had with little education and some iron will.

[@MikeBaxterABC]

In High School I trained as an Electrician, after school I worked as a machinist, then I joined the union for a Millwright Apprenticeship, and worked out the last 20 years Self Employed, as a Locksmith .. (working 4 days a week 9 to 5) .. I am now retired .. well before 60 Years old. The only years I made under 6 figures, were once I took of a few months for recreation :)

[@jenme7926]

That was smart! I'm happy for you that it worked out so good.

[@user-sg8kq7ii3y]

Well, that's fine and dandy. I'm happy for you. But college is essential for many professions. Like if I'm ever hospitalized in the ICU, I'd want a nurse who graduated at the top of his/her class in nursing school and who is an RN from an accredited 4-year university. I wouldn't want a calloused hands electrician/locksmith like you, with no education, taking care of me in the ICU trying to figure out the rate of my tube feeding and whether or not you can push my insulin dose through my IV or if you needed to give me an injection. But stick around because I may need you to change the electrical outlet in my hospital room should it happen to fail. But, other than that, please don't fiddle with any of the medical equipment.

[@bladesofblood6]

Jfc braindead idiots think promoting trades means only using them. Maybe take your degree and think for five minutes about what happens with a bunch of surgeons performing in the dark

[@Kal-El207]

Must’ve been back when you could buy a soda for a penny, and rent a motel room for a $1.50. Times ain’t like that now bud. Good for you I guess.

[@jillcolvin4196]

Businesses need to stop requiring degrees for hiring.

[@Jedi12789]

Depends on the business and the type of job. I do agree with you that they need to do more on the job training.

[@racerx2502]

It depends on the business. My company requires a degree, because I work in a highly-regulated industry that requires specific knowledge, that would take considerable time to learn on the job. My 4-year degree gives me a head start on the knowledge my company requires. Without my degree, it would cost the company considerably more time and money to train me. Additionally, how my company does things may be completely different than how another company does it. So now I've locked myself into a specific area of knowledge that can't be transferred to another company.

[@tryscience]

America owes it's economic success, precisely because of our competitive advantages. Put slackers into jobs, and other countries will eat our lunch.

[@avestuart]

Same with military. Right now one needs a bachelor's degree to apply for OCS, or be near completion. Many officers become pilots or other field which have nothing to do with their major of study prior to attending OCS. Promotions are given according to how many college credits are completed. Years ago I was told to start working on a Master's degree as soon as I arrived at my first duty station, without it i'd have a hard time being a career officer. So it's not just businesses or corporations, government does this, too.

[@tryscience]

@@avestuart Even as enlisted, a couple dozen credits gets a couple of stripes right out of boot camp

[@hobo1452]

Some of the most clueless people I have ever met had college degrees. I'll take common sense over a degree any day of the week.

[@bazzman7056]

Amen

[@patriciasmith7074]

Well it depends on where they go and what they take as course work. My daughter went to a college where she received a scholarship in the town where we lived and she continued to teach children music lessons and she worked 40 hours a week at a music studio and 10 hours at our home. She majored in Chemistry,Biology and Pre-Med and graduated with a perfect GPA.She took the MCAT, applied to Medical school and was accepted. She was a beautiful young woman and she specialized in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Internal Medicine but some kids only go to college because mom and dad pay for it and all they do is go to drink. But I’m sure you still think you are smarter than she is. My belief is you get out what you put in to it. She worked herself very hard and became a wonderful doctor but both of her grandmothers were mad at her and refused to attend her graduation and they both could have gone. I was very angry at how pigheaded they were. We had a pretty damaged relationship with those stubborn old women after that.

[@hobo1452]

@@patriciasmith7074 I beg to differ. The mind is like a container ship, with knowledge being the cargo and the rudder being common sense. All that cargo is useless without a rudder to steer it to a port where it can be offloaded. Your daughter sounds like a person who has common sense, an increasingly rare commodity. All the college degrees in the world won't imbue a person with common sense. They are either born with it or they are not.

[@patriciasmith7074]

@@jpd9355 Maybe they went to Harvard and they came from wealthy families who had everything handed to them and many Harvard professors are such pompous airheads that we wouldn’t go there and couldn’t afford to send her. She went to a religious college for her Chemistry/Biology and Pre-Med BS degree, she was taught by people who had values and morals not just lecturers who spew word salads that mean nothing. She was raised and educated with Mid-Western family values by middle class family and teachers. We don’t think like they do in California or New York or Washington DC or in Massachusetts. She received an alumina scholarship because she took all of the hard classes in high school and earned those top grades and she devoted herself to her goal of becoming a doctor from 4 th grade on. How much partying and goofing off did you do while in school instead of working your tail off for a goal? And you make yourself feel superior because you say you have more common sense. The people who hand out financial help for education are paying for potential either in athletics or academics. They are buying something and motivating hardworking students who want to accomplish something big and don’t have wealthy parents. Each succeeding generation works hard and pushes the next generation to work hard too, that is something you pass on. My father was very disappointed in my lazy good for nothing drunken brother and he didn’t see our dad do that, my brother was different and I think he took after some of the men that failed in my mom’s side of the family but the Great Depression hurt a lot of men and mentally it broke them and they deserted their families.

[@ghost307]

"Educated" and "Smart" are NOT the same thing.

[@mizzmia4407]

You know what works better than going to university is on the job training. Apprenticeship

[@jodiwest23]

Yes! My son did a 7 year apprenticeship that included obtaining a degree, paid by the company, as part of it. He started in 2014 and graduated in 2022.

[@mooch6666]

Ibew electrician here. I have $25 wrapped up into my education. Maybe an additional $2500 in tools and clothes

[@3nertia]

Except that entry-levels jobs wants you to be 20 years old with 30 years experience :/

[@fart3312]

I agree with you but boomer spent years spouting how trade jobs were for losers while shoving their kids into college

[@prolific1518]

They stopped them a long time ago by offloading the "training" to colleges. Then hired foreigners instead.

[@ryanmehra4775]

Mike Rowe is one of the most important American voices today. Thanks for Fox for giving him a platform!

[@TruthbeforeTrust]

Fox needs to do an hour long segment with Mike Rowe. Please.

[@richardspillers6282]

He's a moron and a fraud with a liberal arts degree. He has no clue about actual work and what it takes to make it.

[@TheBeatenPaths]

Fox doesn't deserve him. His got his own KZbin channel

[@nolongeramused8135]

A weekly show sounds appropriate.

[@TheBeatenPaths]

@@nolongeramused8135 He had one for years. No one caught on to the underlying message in it.

[@jerlewis4291]

And he can explain how his communication degree helped get him where he is today.

[@stephenrobbins6353]

High school deplomas are dropping in value as well, they are passing kids for doing and learning nothing

[@positivepsycho2932]

*daplomas

[@jennifervondeylen7362]

*diploma

[@suprema-sea_fishing]

​@@jennifervondeylen7362Winner! The other 2 guys got dopelomas!

[@donnam5060]

Social promotion and bell curve grading and "everyone gets a reward" cause too much devaluing of k-12 education.

[@user-kh1ro6wv3t]

He meant to put a typo on his comment. Don’t ya see that? 😂

[@smishmaster]

At this point, just say you have a 4 year on your resume. It's so standard now no one bothers to check.

[@anitamiller7960]

Lie on your resume. Great first impression for any employer.

[@user-rs8rb3tv7y]

Says the guy with a bachelors degree in broadcasting! And how are you supposed to be hired by an agency that requires college degree's to get the position?

[@ordrdchaos]

The experience requirements are more likely to be gate than the education.

[@30kendel]

Students get the education, but companies want 2,3,4,5 years experience so you have to work for free??? How do you get experience if you don’t hire them first?

[@ordrdchaos]

@@30kendel they expect you to do free work for years somewhere on your own time

[@boathemian7694]

Amen brother

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Degree requirements tend to not be specific to a skill, but rather a manifestation that you can *complete* something. Almost anything! Nearly all federal government jobs require a 4 year degree. It hardly matters what is the "major". It's just a ticket that must be punched.

[@friskecrisps8038]

Going into debt just for a piece of paper that says I went to school is the biggest scam ever

[@negativexmilitia1]

It always comforts me when a doctor says the exact same thing to me when I ask for their credentials. Even though they can't prove they know anything before putting me under for brain surgery, I at least know they aren't a sheep!

[@Sheha-fc6ht]

@friskecrisps8038, that's the greatest explanation of the college scam I've ever heard. THANK YOU! You absolutely nailed it. My best friend went to work for Citibank right out of high school, became one of it's youngest Branch Managers ever, and has been a Regional Manager since she was 27, making $165,000 per year. She lives in a 7-room mansion, and drives a gorgeous, 2019 red Corvette. Never stepped one foot on a college campus.

[@TheSimba86]

@@negativexmilitia1big difference between a doctor and a liberal arts major

[@denverlilly3669]

That's what a lot of employers want to see. Unless you're going to be a plumber or electrician.

[@negativexmilitia1]

@TheSimba86 agreed! People forget that when they rip apart four-year degrees, though. I've been burned plenty for not having one (but have ultimately done quite well). The problem starts long before college. We need an education system that makes people intelligent enough to realize how stupid they are for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on Liberal Arts degrees that don't have the return to pay the loans. You can still easily get an engineering degree for a reasonable rate, but paying $50k/year or more at an art school for an art history degree is asinine. And the banks thay give the loans are criminals too, no doubt. Lets do some risk analysis on the odds of that investment paying off.. Lots of STEM degrees cost much less and pay far more. I love art, but we need to be smarter than that.

[@stewartbeckman7909]

Very well done! Wow! Sane people actually having a conversation about actual facts and not the normal orchestrated delusional crap. Thank You!

[@frankmacleod2565]

I went to college, graduated debt free, and now work in my field, making good money, getting paid to travel. You gotta have experience AND education, not just one or the other

[@videodistro]

Experience IS education. Few fields require 4 years of mostly fluff and DEI garbage that leaves you with dept you want others to pay for.

[@SenorJuan2023]

How debt free? Scholarship?

[@4wheelliving132]

Who paid for your school?

[@frankmacleod2565]

@@4wheelliving132 I did, and I received three academic scholarships.

[@frankmacleod2565]

@@4wheelliving132 I paid for it, along with a couple of academic scholarships

[@rjmurphyo0]

I received my bachelors in IT about 2 years ago and I started putting in applications/resumes. I would say I put in more than 50. I had 1 real interview in which I didn't get a call back. I can't speak for other degrees but what I have noticed is that 90% of these IT job want you to have years of experience and the college degree. So the question is, if nobody is willing to take in a college grad with no real world experience then how do you get it? Yeah, there are tons of IT jobs out there, so this leads me to believe that the industry is flooded. It's just strange and I keep asking what the hell am I doing wrong. At this point, It looks like I wasted a lot of time and money on a piece of paper. I feel like I struck out and now I need to look in a different field.

[@jesse7jesse7]

If you are unable to get a job in IT, choose a company you want to work for and find an entry level position working for them - with a college degree that should get you a foot in the door. Once you are working at the company, see if you can change departments to work in the IT area of the company. Also, can you talk with the college you went to and see what options they have for job placement?

[@linejumper8204]

I joined the army and got paid to learn a trade. After nearly three decades of service, I have no regrets and enjoy living in my mortgage free house with a cabin on a small acreage by a lake for recreation. Gen X living large.

[@leechjim8023]

SWEEEET!!!!😂😂😂

[@meathead2377]

As an employer I look for life skills and experiences over b.s. liberal degrees

[@JustMe-gx4xt]

What jobs do you have available right now?

[@somuchfortalent]

@@JustMe-gx4xt Unfortunately, this is a bot account that Joined Mar 2, 2019.

[@TL-qr3ii]

ha, yeah life skills is going to teach you engineering, medicine, etc. life skills gave us the iphone and airplanes. you're not serious.

[@neilkurzman4907]

Life skills? So you don’t hire young people? And what type of jobs are you offering? It sounds like you’re a blue-collar worker moved up to management

[@voidnovum7796]

I'm going for a degree in electrical engineering. Would that still set me apart from other applicants?

[@ProudFatherofTwo]

I have my masters in computer science, 7 years of college. I was working for a company creating self driving vehicles. That company shut down completely and laid eveeyone off. I was laid off in October last year, and i am now going to work for the rail road bc i cant get an interview anymore in IT to save my life.

[@user-un7fp8rq9j]

That is sad!

[@rachelm9350]

@@user-un7fp8rq9j this happens to a lot of people. I was underemployed for a decade so I had to go back to school. Hoping for things to be different with a new degree.

[@larryvance5107]

College is a business. Why are we as tax payers going to pay off loans on a poor purchase made by these students. In fact they should get a refund from the colleges and universities for selling defective services!

[@rachelm9350]

no i agree. Also I know so many people who used their loans for things other than education. One girl I knew used her loans to get annual disney passes and those overpriced character statues. Another went on clothing shopping sprees... And there was a rumor someone used it for a small boat (would not surprise me). Another person was working under the table so she got gobs of financial aid...

[@esousa486]

Mike Rowe has to be one of the most "Logical" and intelligent souls of our time !!!!! "Thank you" Mike ...... 👌👍👍👍👍👍

[@heartofthunder1440]

@@earforenglish5867it means a actual ‘quote’ mentioned from said person…… or a specific statement. But, this is a comment section of a social media platform, we’re not writing out novels here.

[@heartofthunder1440]

@@earforenglish5867 Ok 👌, I looked it up, apparently you are correct 👍, but I don’t believe that the first comment was used to be as an insult towards Mike Rowe…… if you would to explain it first, what you observed you came off as being sarcastic yourself, and nit picky about the way people write ✍️ in their comments. By all means you are, even though you are clearly correct. But, this world as of now is highly sensitive about everything that is said and are probably tired of being ridiculed right now. Sometimes you just have to read the words to understand where people are coming from. I believe “logical” in quotes, was meant to be a recognized word in his/her statement as what Mike Rowe’s demeanor is like in the broadcast segment and nothing more should be eluded differently.

[@tryscience]

LOL

[@chrismoore1372]

@@heartofthunder1440 I think you forgot a comma at the end of your last sentence.

[@codymacdonald5299]

I went from "I'll never get anywhere because I wasn't good at school can't do college" to now "I feel cursed because I'm a mechanic of 2 different fields and I bet I'm better off than the kids that thought they were better than me. I love my family, but I've got a few family members who have 4 year degrees and barely know anything about a car or how to start a weedeater.

[@texasinkedgrandma5366]

Watch Congress It’s patheticly SaD to see these people are actually educated .

[@peace-love-maga]

You are absolutely correct, we have a lot of college educated idiots with no common sense

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

My Dad owned a few properties and we were always working on them. I could have easily become a tradesman in various areas. I ended up working in aerospace for 40 years and have been a college professor for 13 years, but have always considered myself a tradesman. I joke, “blue collar people know where their eggs come from”. The old saying, “Learn to code” is now “Learn to weld”, which is fine by me. Recently, I built a chicken coop for a friend and was my own General Contractor for a house that I designed.

[@arresthillary9502]

@@jamesdellaneve9005 i think your path is respectable. work in the private sector, THEN be an academic when you have actual knowledge that you can teach the next generation as opposed to career academic teaching something that they have no real world experience in

[@dans4900]

​@@jamesdellaneve9005it's easy working on your own projects. Doing it efficiently and making a living at it is a whole different ballgame.

[@beau1081]

Couldn’t agree more! Currently in an apprenticeship to be an Apprentice. BEST decision I’ve ever made!!

[@richardcapes1028]

2 year degree over 4 years while working in the field as an apprentice so you can ask questions to instructors at colleges that work in the field. That is where I learned the most from. Now 25 years later only paid for parking passes I am a well rounded Technician in any Manufacturing Facility from maintenance to today manufacturing Engineer. Able to do almost all Electrical done to Mechanical design for a complete automated cell. No 4 year degree was required just the right teachers and the right employers.

[@mattmurphy8288]

My son dropped out college… he currently is learning HVAC… and he loves it…. I couldn’t be a prouder father!

[@chuddlevideos]

That's a very diverse skill that will always be in demand.

[@rickteeden8656]

My son is a journeyman plumber and he says that HVAC is a good trade to be in.

[@stevemccoy8489]

I retired this year at 55 after spending 34 years as a pipefitter, and all my high school teachers told me “you have to go to college “ in 1986, college is one of the biggest scams of my generation

[@Spiritof_76]

@@chuddlevideos Heating, ventilation, and cooling. Not so diverse, but yes, always in demand.

[@Jedi12789]

Depending on what he was considering studying before he dropped out he’ll make better with HVAC long term and have better opportunities. Unless it’s a stem or finance, accounting, supply chain, construction management, you’re better off in the trade. HVAC service call to clean the unit - $125 - takes about 1 hr to 1 hr 15 mins at the max Plumber charges 90 just to step out of the truck and bills by the hour, not the job.

[@wydoesntexist]

20 plus yrs buisness owner. I've tried hiring these kids with their college degrees. Useless as the day is long. Entitled. I dont hire them anymore. They think people owe them something. They won't work for it. Laziness runs rampant. Education system failed them.

[@JustMe-gx4xt]

What jobs do you have available right now? What city?

[@Normal6755]

What business are you in?

[@somuchfortalent]

lol no

[@gusloader123]

@wydoesntexist ---> Agree. I never was in the hiring position, but often I was the employee that trained the New Hires. High School students (working Part-time after School hours) and some College students were some of the worst "workers" ever. I have to wonder if their Parents or Guardians ever made them wash the dishes or mow the lawn/pull weeds or take the trash cans out to the curb. Most of them could NOT understand that they had to PERFORM a task BEFORE they got a paycheck.

[@annahgibbus8]

​@@gusloader123 That is so true! I call them the coddled generation. LoL I have an adult son with special needs. He was moving up from being a dishwasher & trying to train HS students that had no clue how to wash a dish, use a mop, take out the trash or even put big plates on big plates cups with cups. Exasperating my son is hard to do & he just couldn't believe it. One right after another & all the same. I was an extremely responsible babysitter at 12 . LoL "If all else fails follow directions!!" 😂🤦🤷

[@CForged]

I’m 45 from Chicago and always knew it was a waste of time and money. I found a trade and never turned back

[@user-un7fp8rq9j]

So smart!

[@Netherwolf6100]

Degrees are meaningless if the knowledge you gained and paid for, aren't applied to your every day life. Even moreso when the concept of debt cones into play and expenses coupled with the cost of living. America has turned college degrees into a luxury item, not a life necessity.

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

Isn’t not aren’t

[@jacobhauenstein]

It’s equally on the student though. If you chose to coast through college and just pass, you missed the opportunity to learn the skills more valuable than the material. You should learn confidence, how to quickly but fully learn new information and skills, how to take expertise in one area and apply it to an area you have no knowledge. Theres a lot of students who acquire debt for a degree they only want to be a ticket into a job and they shortchange themselves on the harder parts that enable you to position and advance yourself through your career quicker than if you just jumped in without college. You’re right though, college is not a necessity. Nor should it be. If you are happy working a trade, don’t waste time in college when you could be at 100k within the 4 years. Either way people should take responsibility for how their effort into either path determines their success

[@nobytes2]

Degrees are meaningless if your degree is useless for the job you’re trying to get after college. Flash news no one knows what they want to be at 17yo. Say you get an art degree you’ll be hungry the rest of your life with a huge debt. Personally, HS students should be allowed to experience real life work 1 or 2 years in between Hs and college, it would make more educated decisions about degree path and sense of direction.

[@patriciasmith7074]

We found how in elementary school just how little they were teaching kids. Very disappointing in how nonexistent education they were getting.

[@vart7767]

Liberals want your kids to vote for them so being smart will not equal a vote for the libs!

[@lucash1980]

How about removing the uncooperative, disruptive kids and allowing the teachers to teach rather than tip toe and manage emotionally disregulated children? You have no idea how much time is dedicated (some would say "wasted") tending to the needs of children who have no priority for education because they are hungry, scared, angry, and lacking in love and stability. They make life miserable for everyone until their needs are met. So instead of teaching to this lowest common denominator, let's temporarily put these kids into programs that identify and provide what they need. If a child is regularly involved in conflicts and disruptions, don't suspend them, reassign them for care, counseling and constructive life skills. They don't need to be put back with the people they have disrupted and harmed, they need a program of support. Right now, those children are being avoided and ignored in schools. They are appeased with reward systems and extra leniency that is buying some time, not educating them. The other kids watch on in disbelief what those children get away with and the other parents shake their heads when their concerns are brushed off. Some people say "oh, they will grow out of it" but what until then? People have no idea how powerless the teachers and school are because staff is not willing to stick their neck out, lest they be chopped for allegations and/or buried in extra paperwork. The system is scared into inaction and therefore broken. The only thing that will save it is bringing in trusted third parties, guidance councilors and special needs assistants who actually had the power to enforce solutions, between the student and home life, WITHOUT fear of reprisal. In many cases, the parents need support as well. Take the students out of their classes, set up the supports they need internally and externally, and then give them a fresh start. It also prevents them from further sabotaging their relationships with school friends and eases relationships at home. Integration of high needs students without extra support is abandonment.

[@Spiritof_76]

Where? Kids are expected to learn a lot more than they did in the past, are expected to keyboard at a very young age, and the expectations at each grade level have been moved downward. The teaching methods are changed every 2 to 4 years, and parents and MAGA politicians meddle with the schools constantly, not trusting the best teachers to do what they do best.

[@Frankthetank302]

Right wingers care more and push for quality education and letting teachers actually teach and do what they need to alot more the lefties ​@Spiritof_76

[@painkiller66]

I learned way more than my parents did. They didn't learn chemistry, calculus, or calculus based physics. I did, all in high school.

[@baba.mkhulu]

finally...some sanity & common sense emerging about careers, vocations & 'education'. 🙏🏽

[@peterhendricksen6946]

Mike Rowe I believe is the most trusted man in America, along with Victor Davis Hansen

[@meathead2377]

Why would any parent support what’s happening in higher education. Having a bot for an offspring isn’t admirable

[@PelosiStockPortfolio]

Says the guy with an AI girlfriend

[@jbp122]

As a parent I can tell you that I don’t. But I do feel like I need to provide the opportunity for my boys to go to college despite all the BS.

[@arresthillary9502]

because most scumbag parents have children to take care of them in their old age and a college degree is an investment in their future care of living off their children

[@Mrbfgray]

@@jbp122 I wouldn't trade my 'college experience' for anything, a difficult challenging engineering degree is worth it just for it's own sake, economic potential aside. But why do you feel it's necessary? Some of the smartest most admirable men I've ever know are the likes of freelance diesel mechanics, smarter and more disciplined than the average engineer I've known hundreds of and there's plenty of opportunity and money in the trades.

[@bigb9257]

because parents are misinformed and they are clueless. There are still bulk of parents who feels, not knows, that degree is important. This is not the 70s, 80s, or 90s. I would say less than 20% of the profession required college degree such as doctors.

[@charlie81980]

Served a 4 UNION APPRENTICESHIP. I have a pension, annuity, medical, dental, vision, paid time off/sick leave. Time and half pay, double time pay etc. etc. I make well over six figures. Never had any student debt. I am able to live comfortably, afford my bills and save money. - local 86 ironworker

[@errrzarrr]

Ok boomer. That was 40 years ago. Now corporate life is way different.

[@charlie81980]

@@errrzarrr boomer? Try GEN X. Goof. You’re a prime example of people thinking they are educated and knowing ‘things’, when they clearly don’t. The building trades unions are dying for workers. Sit down kid… wait, just go stand in the corner.

[@charlie81980]

@@errrzarrr “tHaT wAs 40 yEaRs aGo”… 🥴🤡. One of the most insanely idiotic things i have ever read.

[@roninbushito]

Rubbish

[@joshuatheargonaut4412]

I work at a major university as custodial and whenever I’m around students and I see alittle judgement in their eyes I always think “you’d be lucky to have this job when schools over”.

[@MercurySaturn]

i have a bachelor's degree, a diploma in drafting, and a diploma in auto mechanics. the only one i don't regret is auto mechanics; since i'm not rich enough to own new cars, i can atleast keep old ones running and help friends. never trust anything a university or college claims about income or job prospects.

[@mrbaab5932]

Never heard of a Bachelors degree in Drafting. Drafting got replaced by CAD programs around 1990. You should have gotten a BS in Engineering or Software.

[@getinthespace7715]

If you have good mechanical aptitude.. can you build yourself a house with your own 2 hands? I'm moving to a tourist trappy place for my wife's work. Median houses cost 750k for a house that would cost 300-350k where we are moving from. The AirBNB market is pushing prices through the roof. They bring in 40k-60k a season. I'm buying property and using my own 2 hands to build myself a house. Total budget is $250k-$300k. Live in that house 2 years in a 5 year period and you can sell it and get 250k/500k (single/married) tax free profit using the Section 121 capital gains tax exemption. If things go well with this first build. I'm building a second one and after the first one sells and if I make 500k profit I'm quiting the 8-5.

[@mannahamma3757]

@@getinthespace7715good luck man

[@missylks1239]

Oh, it wasn't college and university that gave me those ideas. It was previous generations. Thank you Boomers.

[@jrd603]

@@mrbaab5932he probably meant certificate

[@debbiemerritt6707]

Career and Tech icial Education in high schools should be pushed.

[@stewartsmith1947]

Our local school here in Alabama has it now. Welding, aircraft maintenance , auto repair nursing etc

[@SusiesRepeat]

So should learning how to handle money, one of the most important skills anyone can have.

[@dsa43fsdf]

everyone always says "barely any jobs require degrees" yet every job i see on job boards says it requires at least a 4 year degree in X feild....

[@WilcoxNotreallythere]

Hahaha! And four years experience but oh. . . Look. It says it's an entry level position. That's the level of hypocrisy we're dealing with here.

[@videodistro]

That's bunk. You aren't REALLY looking at job listing. Get your head out of the myopic shell of an environment you exist in.

[@dsa43fsdf]

@@WilcoxNotreallythere the problem is that all these jobs that dont require a degree everyone is talking about also require 4+ years experince, but all the jobs that dont require 4+ years experince require a degree. So its just a endless loop that requires you to get a degree.

[@dsa43fsdf]

​@@videodistro this comment provides no insight that anything i said was wrong, so im going to asume you have no idea what your talking about.

[@KFontLab]

Every job I have gotten required at minimum a Bachelor’s degree. But I am absolutely an advocate for taking all your gen eds at a tech or junior college then transfer if necessary. It’s much more cost effective. If you are trying to get a Doctorate in anything you HAVE to start with a Bachelor’s degree. So it depends on what your long term goals are. I work for tech school and my students that are leaving are getting paid well with little to no debt. There are many more opportunities to be successful outside of a degree.

[@o4pureh2o]

A group of friends and I left school at 16, worked really hard, learned, started our own businesses and invested. From that time no one questions scholastic education. Success is a reflection of who you become and the value you provide others.

[@kevinrhug]

I STILL teach shop classes. My philosophy is knowledge is power. The more you know...

[@randoir1863]

The more you know leads to less reliance on other people to fix your stuff when it breaks . The more you know leads to others seeking your help when their stuff breaks .

[@jamesboyd304]

@@randoir1863 Yeah, its like when someone needs something moved and you are the only guy with a pickup truck.

[@raymondannas4496]

And knowing is half the battle.

[@legendarycheez3471]

Knowledge cannot equal power if one hasn’t learned to apply that knowledge to life or anything in some way or form.

[@jamesboyd304]

@@legendarycheez3471 Yes, and the wisdom to temper it properly, the sword becomes dull and useless.

[@TheInfinitymath]

I am a tenured professor, and your analysis is spot on.

[@johnpew6846]

How do we know you're not a slovenly pipefitter sitting in a dingy basement in Toledo?

[@MagnumCarta]

If you were a music professor would that make you a tenored professor?

[@leechjim8023]

​@@MagnumCartaor a soprano😂😂😂

[@keneticchannel]

There's a web and software development school in my city that only requires tuition be paid back from a job acquired thanks to the certificate it provides. I feel if colleges could only recoup tuition from relevant jobs, you'd see a wild shift in what classes were being pushed the most.

[@user-un7fp8rq9j]

What a wise, intelligent, wonderful comment!

[@SuperSayajim]

I graduated High School in 2012. The University I attended had its highest student population it had ever had while I was in school. Literally half the people I knew dropped out. The true only barrier for entering the college seemed to be $$. If you can get a student loan, you can get in. Universisties exploited a group of youth that had been convinced they need higher education. Since its standard to take a loan out for college rather than pay out of pocket, universities could arbitrarily jack up rates knowing that banks will provide the funds.

[@joshuab3715]

My wife’s mother is in her 60’s still paying off her masters.

[@randallsmerna384]

You mean it wasn't forgiven??? 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@Ton-uy1xd]

Her masters in what? Did she end up with a career in the field?

[@SnakeDoctor303rd]

Her age is irrelevant if she just got it

[@3nertia]

Does she think it was worth it?

[@mikem2022]

What is she making $50 monthly payments while racking up debt throughout her life? Seems like she’s just irresponsible

[@dfletcher2007]

Mike Rowe is a national treasure! Keep spreading the word, my man!

[@ReedHarrison]

Worked as a pipe fitter for a while until i got tired of the physical work.went back to college got a masters degree in education. It was the most difficult 4 years of my life. But i dont regret it at all. My life has exponentially gotten better. No working in freezing buildings,no busting my hands,no life threatening situations. College isnt for everyone but if you have a brain use it!

[@Longeno55]

There are way too many lawyers for sure, especially in the DC Metro.

[@ousamaabdu794]

As a DC area resident, I wholly agree

[@Icarus696]

Those guys are right. My 4 years did not prepare me much for work.

[@christinathorne4956]

Yep, we need a hands on experience for these youth besides facebook, twitter and any other social media. Shop classes are fantastic for students

[@ashade2877]

Social media is absolute poison. Were it not for my parents and grandparents, I would never use Facebook. Once they are gone, discord is all I will ever use since I game with others.

[@arfriedman4577]

In 1970s and 1980s we had shop classes.

[@gundammon]

Shop classes are the first to go when budget cuts happen. But hey, as long as the football team has brand-new uniforms every year. Gotta entertain those parents somehow.

[@logan_kes]

Dropped out of 2 year tech school after a year because I wasn’t learning anything. Got a few certifications on my own and by the time the rest of my graduating class graduated, I was making triple what my classmates who graduated with 4 year engineering degrees made, and zero student debt. Degrees have become soo bloated with junk they are meaningless, a simple certification means you know exactly how to do that skill and nothing else which is what employers care about, not that you spent a semester in woman’s studies and now are in digital marketing

[@kenvanlit402]

In Australia, universities are more about land acquisition, social engineering and excessive and generous staffing structures.

[@ronaldanderson6481]

I recall that high school shop classes were killed off by the teachers union, because most of the shop teachers did not have teaching certificates.

[@Spiritof_76]

Where did you come up with that?

[@denverlilly3669]

In school, I learned how to make a simple tool case, a folding stool, and a bridge. That really carried over into my adult life.

[@susancuenin2137]

Excuse me. Trying to actually get a credential in industrial arts or agriculture so you can teach shop is not easy!

[@zarategabe]

Ah yes, the myth of the all powerful teachers unions

[@sonicpsycho13]

Think of it from a practical standpoint. Those types of courses require highly specialized instructors and equipment. You can't just have a football coach teach the course like you can history or English. If you have someone who's skilled enough in carpentry or furniture-making to teach it, then they can earn more being a carpenter or furniture-maker. Second, the equipment is expensive to buy, repair, and service and requires special training to keep running. Politicians keep stripping away public school budgets, so they can't afford to buy and keep this specialized equipment. Plus, a specialized classroom can only be used for one course and takes up twice the space as a normal classroom. Why build one woodshop that gets used half the day when I can get two general use classrooms to use all day? Where I grew up, property taxes are high, and public education is considered some of the best in the country, even for an area with low population density. The local high schools offer college and AP courses alongside vocational training in over 20 fields. If you want youths to have the opportunity to learn, then you need to publicly allocate resources to provide that opportunity.

[@garylancaster3995]

How about the fact that they have lowered the requirements from kindergarten to graduate school. No one left behind.

[@Spiritof_76]

No child left behind made schools into cookie cutters that taught to the tests. Lowered from what, though?

[@mesquitoful]

I added more value as a newbie framing carpenter in 6 months than I did as a U Texas history/government major for 5 years.

[@mrchard40]

I did go to college and got a teacher degree. I've been a teacher for 33 years. So, it worked for me!

[@anitamiller7960]

From what Rowe is saying, teachers should just be able to pass a basic educational skills test and be placed in charge of teaching our children. We could have the physical education teacher covering math and science classes.

[@TheRichardc123]

I have a friend that retired at 38 after 20 years as a steam fitter. Now he just makes furniture to sell online for fun and travels with his kids. People really underestimate the lifestyle some of these jobs can provide.

[@maticbukovac6966]

Dreaming of retiring at 38 really is an "American thing". Noone in Europe dreams of retiring at age 38. If one mentioned smth like that out loud, they would be ridiculed. The whole point of life is to be useful and make a contribution to society.

[@choonblaze]

@@maticbukovac6966 The whole point of life has nothing to do with making a contribution to society. If you genuinely believe that, you're gonna feel sorry you wasted your life in the end

[@jdsparky288]

@@choonblaze yeah, it’s called socialism

[@TheRichardc123]

When the boot is so far down your throat you can count the hairs on the back of their knee… I’m sure all that missed time being there for your kids or your aging parents definitely makes you a better person…

[@jerrybanley7695]

@@maticbukovac6966 I think one would need to define their idea of "retirement" first. Most people have a skewed idea of retirement. They think that you would retire at 38, and then just sit around eating pizza and playing video games. But if you have the ambition to actually retire young, you also have the ambition to do more with your life. I believe the purpose of our life is to so live our life, that the usefulness of our life outlives our life. Read that a couple time, you'll get it. I also believe that money is not the most important thing is the world, but the most important things cost money. Most people spend the vast majority of their lives chasing money, chasing a paycheck. They're so busy making a living that they don't have time to actually live. Where you spend most of your time, and money, is what you value the most. The majority of people spend the bulk of their money on houses and cars, and the majority of their time chasing a paycheck. If this guy really retired at 38, he has probably solved his money issue, and now he can move onto more important things.

[@redb.3885]

I retired as a VP of a business that had 85 million dollars yearly sales. Not only did I not have a degree but none of the principals had one.

[@randygutierrez4965]

Mostly where you end up in life is based off connections. Obviously the family you’re born in helps.

[@Gman2002]

And luck and “being in right place at right time” takes into account.

[@nickmoyer9112]

@@randygutierrez4965my dad was born into a poor family with nothing to there names and he became a self made self employed business man. It’s mostly about hard work and determination for what you want out of life. As Americans were lucky enough to have that choice.

[@SciaticaDrums]

For me as a software engineer I HAD to have the degree. For my son, he got a four year degree but it was totally unrelated to the field he is now in but it showed his company that he had the strength to complete it and that's important. It all depends on what you want to do. If you're smart, learn a trade whether it's your main income or a back up.

[@KaraboudjanTimes]

I left college half way through , before 2 years, when I was shocked it was easier than high school. I thought I'd be stepping up. At end of first year I got a top mark "pass with merit" in "communications". That class reminded me of 12 year old English. That was in early 1990's. Turned out I made right choice. More so than I would have ever believed.

[@revolutionaryhamburger]

The value of a degree at Harvard has certainly collapsed.

[@mnguardianfan7128]

Only if you only get your news from right wing media

[@revolutionaryhamburger]

@@mnguardianfan7128 I suppose you believe leftwing media is lousy with dunces and frauds who plagiarize because they have no standards so they can't see any problem with stealing.

[@TeachAManToAngle]

@@mnguardianfan7128or to anyone who critically thinks.

[@mnguardianfan7128]

@@TeachAManToAngle Do you honestly and seriously believe that you personally think more critically than Harvard students and faculty?

[@rjgeo2415]

@@TeachAManToAngle A political opinion is groupthink not critical thinking

[@Stormnorman15]

Schools are all about $$$$ now, insane parking fees, new “editions” of the same book every year, technology fee for when school was stay home during Covid and we had to use our own devices! It’s a disgrace

[@blamthekaboom]

gotta take advatage of every opportunity right?

[@rjmurphyo0]

in regards to new editions, the publishing companies purposely scramble the chapters and add bits of information that make it seem like it's necessary to have. It's literally about keeping everyone on the same page and it creates a hassle for professors to assign chapters and exercises in the books.. The exercises/questions are the things that change the most. That's not on the colleges and believe me if I could trash them, I would because colleges are scams

[@drexelspivey872]

I went to a large state university in New England. I remember one year in a large lecture our professor made us get a digitalized version of a book that was an outrageous cost. Me and my friends found more cost effective hard copies of the SAME EXACT BOOK, volume, etc. The professor said this was no good, because we could not access the digital homework with the book that was 35% of our grade. You cannot tell me that professor was not receiving a commission kick back from that digital book copy.

[@Kayametra]

@@drexelspivey872I have this right now. I’m forced to buy a new book from Pearson for my Chem class because I have to get a code to even be able to unlock the access to the homework. You cannot tell me this isn’t a way to skirt by students buying used books.

[@rudychavez4569]

So true about some books being the same every year except for the cover. What a scam!

[@Lol-ao1979]

I graduated in 2005 and in a small town. Shop and agriculture were still valued. Yet, we had teachers who put posters up above their doors that said don't become a ditch digger.

[@user-pe4by1mv7y]

the problem with college is the bogus degrees they began offering. If you want to be an engineer, doctor, accountant, etc you must get a degree. there is no reason for a degree in interdisciplinary studies.

[@johnshaw4137]

I am NOT bragging but, my younger brother didn't graduate HS and he has been at a heavy machinery workshop and is a union licensed heavy machinery mechanic. Makes 40/hr...

[@RoyalLawnCareandFirewood]

Mike Rowe is 100% correct on this. As a young man, I plan to be working and getting rich so that I can move to a nice rural House in West Virginia and have a lot of woods, while all of my peers are just digging themselves deeper into lifelong debt.

[@spencers4121]

Good luck affording the house and land....

[@TheSimba86]

@@spencers4121 it's like $1500 an acre in west virgina, downside is there's no jobs

[@AndrewJam-vv9xw]

Sounds like you’re a pretty good friend…

[@drinny26]

I didn’t go to college. I make $150,000 a year from my salary and another. $200,000+ off my investment properties. F college and put that money into buying a multi family house. That’s the best “business” anyone can start.

[@daysonta]

i have a different perspective. with information and resources widely available, it isn't that a college degree isn't valuable, but the requirements to become secure has elevated. Back in the 50-70's, if you had a bachelor's you're basically set up for moderate success in the industry, but now you're pretty much required to have specialty, i.e. a masters degree to be able to set yourself up for success. The reason why so many people cannot get a job after college, is because their skill sets are too general. There's no need for them, because now generalist positions are automated, or even straight up replaced by other jobs that combine all generalist skill sets. A college degree is the most basic ticket you can get, but that doesn't mean it's useless, it's a ticket to even higher education, and it's impossible for most people to see this when they're only focused on the end goal, and not their self improvement.

[@richardratcliff5521]

Its no longer about education but rather indoctrination.

[@jamesboyd304]

And the kicker is they get you to go in debt to pay for it yourself.

[@kevinkelly1586]

Political Correctness turned education into indoctrination, and enforced this indoctrination with censorship & intimidation.

[@adam12havener]

Indoctrination into what? Let's hear what you really think.

[@ckreon]

Always has been, and not just college..

[@mcmans.]

@@adam12havener Indoctrination into LGBTQIA+ "Safe Spaces" and Hand Holding. University is for Adult Children that can Not Support themselves.

[@AvalonMisty]

I got a 2 year Associates Degree in Ornamental Horticulture in 1981 from my local Community College..$500/Semester. It has served me well my entire life.

[@Mysteri0usMem0]

what do you do with that and how much do you make

[@ogcowboy5743]

Are you pruning Bonsai trees?

[@tedreid1035]

My two degree that I earned in 1979 was essential to my succesful career.

[@HondaRidea]

Imagine having a 4 year degree and having no idea how to change a flat tire on the side of the road 😂

[@mikelist53]

Some careers aren't about maximum accumulation of wealth, tbh.

[@ninjagirl226]

My answer to that is google. At least that’s generally my go to for things I don’t know how to do and in theory college should be teaching problem solving. Granted I was told that’s what a PhD is about…stupid.

[@daleweiss9507]

Or thinking men can get pregnant.

[@OhNoNotAgain42]

Are those mutually exclusive?

[@bazzman7056]

I've had some educated persons asked very simple questions, and they googled it to give an answer, right in front of me.

[@mizzmia4407]

It's ALLLLLL a scam and a sham

[@roachtoasties]

It's whatever you want and not what these "pundits" on Fox say, that have their own agenda. One thing about college is you need to look at high school. I learned little, and little of real use, in high school. Whether it's public or private school, high school alone prepares you for nothing other than working at a fast food joint. I really didn't learn until I got to college. My career (in I.T.) didn't parallel my degree, but I have no regrets on going. It still worked out for me, and met some people that I still have contact with and influenced my life positively. As far as high school, that wasn't the case. I haven't set my foot back inside that high school, since the day I graduated. Anyway, if you want to be a plumber, there's nothing wrong with that. The thing is, with what high school is, few are really sure what they want to do as soon as they get out.

[@ellieraggs]

I have a degree in computer science that has served me well for many years. My two kids, ages 32 and 27, have degrees in computer science and nursing. Both work in their fields and make great money. If I have a chance to talk to a young person getting ready to go to college I ask them what exactly they plan to do with the degree. What job can they get? Have they looked at open job listings with that degree as a requirement? And how will they get experience in the field while still in college? Usually they are completely clueless about all of that. I also strongly encourage them to avoid student loans. I hope the questions at least make them think.

[@MagnumCarta]

Great points! If you're going to go to college the only loan you should ever accept is from FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and you should also look into grant programs for your state. Private loans are a terrible option and usually come with stringent clauses that keeps them attached even in bankruptcy. Start with community college and then transfer ideally to a state school but some private schools are fine provided you pay attention to accreditation. If it does NOT say regionally accredited: run. Look for internships around the sophmore or junior year, work on side projects either with or in absence of an internship, and definitely get an idea of what entry-level positions are most likely to accept new grads. My background was also computer science so that is where the concept of side projects is rooted. This may differ for other career routes / job sectors.

[@dingbop963]

Getting a job in your field of study and making good money isn't necessarily an indication that your degree is of good quality.

[@Jedi12789]

I wish I had read your post back in 2004. Makes a whole lot of sense. Although I did get a degree that led to a decent job - it just doesn’t have the options like most to move around every few years. I def would have studied something different but the world has changed a lot in 20 years in industry.

[@peterrichards931]

Pay $160,000 to graduate stupider than when you went in.

[@smokestrong1000]

Spoken like someone who never went to college. It's called FAFSA and they'll pay your entire tuition. Anyone with a STEM degree is making 6 figures while you work at walmart. (Edit: KZbin is shadow banning all my replies to anyone who replies to me on this thread.)

[@user-wl6yd1gm3h]

I know people with STEM degrees that haven't worked in years. They are unemployable

[@smokestrong1000]

@@user-wl6yd1gm3h sure you do

[@bradc6199]

​@@smokestrong1000but most degrees are not STEM degrees. You just proved the point you were trying to refute.

[@smokestrong1000]

@@bradc6199 degrees are worthless unless it's STEM. It's common sense if you get a STEM degree you'll have a solid career. Everything I said is fact. You're reaching for something that doesn't exist because you're not smart enough to get a STEM degree. Now yes I would like fries with that burger, peasant.

[@bestiefswlady5251]

Difference nowadays is that a lot of students graduate from high school with the writing skills of what used to be a considered a strong 9th grader. Regardless of whether a four-year university is necessary, having good writing skills is usually wanted by most employers.

[@sjsmith801]

This is fact. I had a 12 year career in IT when I finally earned my degree. I did it mostly because my employer paid for it. I got almost no actual skill or knowledge bump from the education. It very much felt like I was paying for a piece of paper that was supposed to convey some skill or value. LIterally nothing changed in my life or work. I couldn't even tell you right now where my diploma is at. It's certainly not hanging on my wall.

[@LvLocks1915]

Mike is probably the most qualified person who can back this statement up 100% since he literally had a show that showed that you didn't need the greatest education to do jobs that are the foundation of our country.

[@adriantomlin2902]

Yeah and helluva lot of jobs that a college grad would not think of doing because it's "beneath" them!!

[@SnakeDoctor303rd]

No try and find a doctor, lawyer, engineer, architect, counselor, teacher, etc etc...

[@christopherallen9476]

Wowza, because he is on TV. I bet you think Dr. House is the best source for an illness diagnosis too

[@jameseroh6544]

When I was in high school during the early 1970's. I was told to study hard, go to the best university, and I might make $1M. Well, I got a GED, took some community college and adult school classes. Sometimes I earned good wages, sometimes very low wages or no wages. So now at age 68, I have been paid over $2M. About half my working years, I have had social security tax withholding stop in October or November. Boy I really was a failure not getting a 4 year degree.

[@christopherallen9476]

@@jameseroh6544 What are you talking about? No one is talking down to you, but you are certainly talking down to others. Do some self evaluation for a change.

[@user-uz6ju8li9u]

I have a college degree but also have trade skills as well I’ve worked blue and white collar jobs. The body starts breaking down in your forties so you better have a good crew by then or you’re out of business. Having other skills gives you some flexibility

[@user-uz6ju8li9u]

No I mean everyone look what happened to the coal miners in Appalachia

[@BooRayWisco]

In the trades and in my 40’s…….many trades are not very physical. A steady pace at work over the course of a working career is better than no pace in an office. Your body is a machine and will break down if left idle

[@user-ch9pz1uq9v]

I Said and explained this pretty much the same way Mike is right now, TWENTY YEARS AGO !

[@judyhalsell9510]

Worked as a janitor in a college in Mississippi they had full classes of freshman college classes teaching people that “ graduated” from high school that could not read , write or do basic math of course the public was paying for all these scholarships .

[@horsedr4197]

That was the football team.