How a Bachelors degree only gets you $12.00 an hour

[Magneto]

Saw this on Facebook and thought it was worth sharing.

I was at a Chamber of Commerce function as part of the Technology Business Council in Richardson Texas. I talked to a CEO of a company we had done business with, he was hiring and one of my companies was a recruiting placement firm, this is how that conversation went.

Me - so Jim you are hiring I hear, can we help, what are you looking for.

Jim - yea may be, we need 45 CSRs (customer service rep if you didn't know that)
Me - Okay that is a bit lower level than we usually do but for that many we can likely help what do you need.
Jim - Oh the basics, good on the phone, reasonable work history, good appearance and communications, computer literate, etc. Salary is 24K a year plus incentives and benefits. Oh yea and in addition to at least two years of related experience they need a Bachelors or higher.
Me - Um, is this some sort of accelerated management program or something were these people are coming in low but all targeted for something more.
Jim - No, just a typical CSR position like we hire for all the time, some make management but you know turn over is high in this world. Nothing special.
Me - So why the degree, this is a job a high school grad could do, hell most kids in high school could do that job with two weeks training part time, why the BA?
Jim - Oh well there are so many people with degrees available we figured we might as well make it a requirement. At least we know they can complete something they start that way and most have debt so they retain better.
-And that folks is what has become of a vaulted college degree. 40 years of subsidized debt and bs marketing of "every child should go to college" have resulted in your degree becoming a low priced add on for even the most basic of jobs.

 

[churchmouse]

We all knew this was coming when all this college is a must bravo sierra started years ago.

 

[Rookie]

And that is exactly why I didn't encourage any of my kids to go to college.

 

[rkwhyte2]

So glad my son went to a tech school.

 

[Leadeye]

Good marketing by the education/industrial complex and probably made a pile of money for them.

Always follow the money

 

[KellyinAvon]

The more you have of something the less it is worth. Very basic economics and you could see this coming a mile away. Some need degrees: our youngest son is a computer engineering major, you need an engineering degree to be an engineer. My wife and I are hoping for a condo in Florida Customer service rep? I'll take a HS grad who can pass a drug test.

 

[littletommy]

My youngest son graduated high school last May, he went to a vocational school his junior and senior year, taking diesel mechanics.....with his most recent raise, he’s making above $20 an hr. It’s a crying shame that our society has pushed the college bull**** so hard for so long. What a scam!

 

[PistolBob]

My two kids have graduate degrees in their fields...one got his courtesy of the GI Bill and 8 years of night school while he was in the service. The other got his from employer contributions, and his own hard work. Neither got down owning more than about $10K each when it was all said and done. You do not have to borrow your way through college as there are other ways to do it.

 

[churchmouse]

My two kids have graduate degrees in their fields...one got his courtesy of the GI Bill and 8 years of night school while he was in the service. The other got his from employer contributions, and his own hard work. Neither got down owning more than about $10K each when it was all said and done. You do not have to borrow your way through college as there are other ways to do it.

This was the norm when I was of that age. The kids that went from my area worked their way through because Mom and Dad could not float the tab and a student loan was never considered. Not in my world anyway.

 

[WebSnyper]

Yep, good luck to that company with the labor market the way it is currently. When fast food places are advertising for $10 + an hour here in Indy area, and they are having to lock the doors because they don't have staff to cover a shift, the market is tight. (Yes, I have seen multiple fast food restaurants in my area recently with only a drive through open and the doors locked or some that didn't have a drive through just closed during the day with a sign on the door that said closed due to staffing issues, and I can guarantee they were not holding out for over qualified individuals).

I do agree that there are many people out there with worthless degrees who paid too much for them, and that college is not for everyone. I personally wish I had a different skill set than I do (a trade would have been great), but having a degree definitely helped me check that box to get into the jobs that I have. But then I didn't incur any student loans or debt to get it. Tuition was paid by scholarship and I lived at home and held a job during my college career.

 

[rkwhyte2]

I feel lucky my Grandparent paid for all of the Grandkids college. If you wanted to continue after the Bachelor you had to pay our own way.

 

[HoughMade]

I made $5/Hr and $50 per car sold with a BA.

However, it was necessary in order to get more education and I do a little better now.

College is a good path for some, but not all. Everyone should assess what they want to do, what they want to accomplish, and determine whether college will be of any benefit. Too many people just automatically go. However, higher ed is neither inherently bad, nor good.

 

[KellyinAvon]

I made $5/Hr and $50 per car sold with a BA.

However, it was necessary in order to get more education and I do a little better now.

College is a good path for some, but not all. Everyone should assess what they want to do, what they want to accomplish, and determine whether college will be of any benefit. Too many people just automatically go. However, higher ed is neither inherently bad, nor good.

$5/hour? You could buy a Colt Peacemaker after 3 hours and 10 minutes in those days

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

My first job out of college involved searching for dead baby chicks in alfalfa fields.

I got a brand new 1988 Bronco II to drive, and a nice salary and stipend to boot. Good work, if you can get it.

 

[NyleRN]

And that is exactly why I didn't encourage any of my kids to go to college.

Without knowing a skilled trade or owning your own business in which is a skilled trade, you'll more than likely struggle your whole life unless you are super content with having hardly nothing at all. Of course you have the exceptions but if it were the norm then no one would spend money on a secondary education if they were gonna earn the same as someone who has an associates or higher degree. Hough said it best, you need to assess what you want to do in life and see if college is necessary then assess your cost vs. what you'll make to see if it's worth it. If I would've stayed working in that factory while I was going to school then I'd still be making $35-$40k/yr working 5 days a week. But I spent $10k at a community college and got an associates degree and more than doubled my yearly salary and only work 4 days a week. My decision how allowed my wife to be a stay at home mom and home school our 5 kids.

 

[actaeon277]

 

[churchmouse]

This is true with far to many these days.

 

[actaeon277]

I can't find it, but there was one that showed a woman, pointing to a garbage man, telling her kid to study or he'll be like that.
Next frame, a woman points at the garbage man and tells her son, look at that man, he has a job, supports his family, etc.

 

[femurphy77]

I can't find it, but there was one that showed a woman, pointing to a garbage man, telling her kid to study or he'll be like that.
Next frame, a woman points at the garbage man and tells her son, look at that man, he has a job, supports his family, etc.

Perspective!

I was actually talking to one of our HR people about our concerns regarding replacing our aging team. They recognize that the available pool of "technicians" is very small and growing smaller each day! Unfortunately nowadays any attempts to nurture, mentor, intern kids into the trades requires a corporate edict that they aren't willing to sponsor. . .yet;

 

[actaeon277]