Apprenticeships Compared to Degrees

As college graduation season winds down, our new report finds many Americans are skeptical about the value of a college degree. At the same time, economic outcomes for young adults with and without a four-year degree are improving. Especially notable, after decades of decline, earnings are trending up for young men without a bachelor’s degree. Here are some of the key findings from our new survey and analysis of government data: ✔ 40% of Americans say it’s not too or not at all important to have a college degree in order to get a well-paying job in today’s economy. About half say having a degree is less important now than it was 20 years ago. ✔ Only 22% say the cost of getting a four-year degree is worth it even if a person has to take out loans; 47% say the cost is worth it but only if a person doesn’t have to take out loans (29% say it’s not worth it at all). ✔ Earnings for young adults with and a without a four-year degree have gone up over the past 10 years. The gap in earnings between these two groups hasn’t narrowed significantly. ✔ The typical net worth of young adults with and without a college degree has also increased over the past decade. ✔ Labor force participation for young men without a college degree, which had also been declining for decades, has stabilized. For young women across educational groups, labor force participation has increased over the last ten years. 

Is college worth it? It turns out, that's the wrong question. I'm excited to share that I have updated my analysis of college return on investment (ROI) for The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity! ROI is defined as how much a college degree is expected to increase a student's lifetime earnings, after accounting for the cost of college and the risk of not finishing. Our report calculates ROI for over 53,000 degree and certificate programs. Some key findings: - Bachelor’s degree programs have a median ROI of $160,000, but the payoff varies by field of study. Engineering, computer science, nursing, and economics degrees have the highest ROI. - Associate degree and certificate programs have variable ROI, depending on the field of study. Two-year degrees in liberal arts have no ROI, while certificates in the technical trades have a higher payoff than the typical bachelor’s degree. - Nearly half of master’s degree programs leave students financially worse off. However, professional degrees in law, medicine, and dentistry are extremely lucrative. - Around a third of federal Pell Grant and student loan funding pays for programs that do not provide students with a return on investment. You can find the full report here: https://lnkd.in/esfXc3M8 And if you want to look up ROI for your own college, check out our brand-new dashboard here: https://lnkd.in/eFRpCvtp

The World Economic Forum just revealed the top skills for 2030 in their Future of Jobs Report. Spoiler: the ones rising fastest are the ones we’ve been ignoring 👀 Here’s what the data from 1,000 top employers (representing 14M workers across 22 industries) tells us: 📍 Analytical thinking is the #1 skill employers value most. 📍 Career growth is shifting from credentials to capabilities. Employers care less about degrees and more about how you think, adapt, and solve real problems. 📍 Soft skills are rising faster than technical ones, including programming and design. If you want to stay relevant by 2030, these are the skills to master: 1) Analytical Thinking → Choose one business decision this week and list 3 things you're assuming to be true. Then challenge each with data before moving forward. 2) Creative Thinking → Take a current work challenge and ask, “How would a completely different team solve this?” 3) AI & Big Data Literacy → Pick one business workflow and explore how AI could reduce time, cost, or complexity. Then test it in a low-risk area. 4) Resilience & Flexibility → Write down the last thing that frustrated you. How could you respond differently next time? 5) Motivation & Self-Awareness → Track your energy for 3 days. Note when you're most focused vs. drained. Move one key task to match your peak zone. 6) Curiosity & Lifelong Learning → Set a 30-minute calendar block to explore a trend that will affect your industry but isn’t on your roadmap yet. 7) Technological Literacy → Pick one tool your team uses and explore a feature you’ve never touched. 8) Empathy & Listening → In your next 1:1, ask: “What’s something you’ve been holding back from saying?” Then listen without interrupting. 9) Leadership & Influence → In your next team meeting or Slack update, highlight a quiet win from someone who usually flies under the radar. 10) Systems Thinking → Pick one process that causes repeated friction. Map it end-to-end, and eliminate the one step that slows everything down. WEF’s data is clear: The skills rising fastest aren’t technical, they’re human. AI is already mastering the hard skills. But it still can’t lead a team, rethink a broken process, or earn trust in a room. 🤝 By 2030, those who master soft skills with strategy won’t just survive the shift, they’ll lead it 

Every week I literally receive hundreds of messages about the Bring Back the Trades, Inc movement. Many are simply requests on how to get started in the trades. Along with those requests come some really disturbing stories about the lack of information or outright misinformation many people are getting. I thought it would be beneficial to do a little "myth-busting" and set the record straight on a few things I've noticed along this journey. "A graduate from a trade school is now a journeyman in their trade and can expect top pay" False. While this is industry specific, as a rule, trade school gives a good primer to candidates who attend but most trades (plumber and electrician are good examples) will require 4-5 years of practical work to achieve the journeyman (or top pay) at their discipline. "You must attend trade school in order to apply for an apprenticeship program" False. Apprenticeship programs usually have few, if any, prerequisites. While they will differ by trade and location, most are awarded based on a combination of two scores, a written exam intended to gauge basic skills such as reading comprehension as well as basic math and a face to face interview. While attending trade school or working in the trades already show excellent initiative to the interview committee, it is not a requirement. "A four year degree is always superior to an apprenticeship" False. A national study by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI), has found that on average, graduates of joint labor-management apprenticeship programs in the construction industry are able to achieve wage and benefits parity with other types of workers with four-year college degrees. When the cost of college and lack of earnings for that 4 years period are considered, the apprenticeship model actually adds back over 6 figures of income. "The trades are a good alternative for kids who aren't college material" False. The trades are just another career path, requiring a different source of education. Most times kids aren't performing in school because they aren't interested in the material but when presented with something that appeals to them, their passion for learning takes on a new dimension and they actually LEARN, as opposed to memorizing things for the purpose of standardized testing. Bring Back the Trades, Inc is a skilled trades advocacy group providing mentoring, information, career fair type "skilled trades exhibitions and scholarships to those wising to attend trade school. If you are interested in getting involved, please message me here or email at doug@bringbackthetrades.com #BringBackTheTrades #skilledtrades #apprenticeships #careeropportunities

Software engineering is trade work. And as trade work, one can be highly successful doing it without the academic background of a college degree. Consider brick laying and masonry. If you're working to develop new building materials or to better understand the fluid dynamics of mortar, or to perform forensic analysis on why a structure failed, sure... a degree in materials science or chemistry would be supportive. But if you're building walls, fences, and buildings? You can absolutely become highly skilled through apprenticeship and experience. Writing software is no different. If you're writing compilers or CPU firmware, or designing a new database engine, then yes.... absolutely. Deep knowledge of theory and application, the kind that you get from academic study, is appropriate. But the vast of software engineers aren't doing that. They're adding features to existing codebases, they are writing new products to solve business and enterprise problems, they are creating snazzy websites or data processing pipelines, they are building infrastructure platforms to power those products. These are skills that are absolutely learnable through apprenticeship and experience. I've been in working in tech for just about 25 years now. I don't have a degree, having left college my Junior year to take care of my newly-born child. In that 25 year span, I have designed and built a network of EV charging stations, I've written control software for ion beam and electron microscopes, I've produced flight deck software for commercial jets, I designed a web-based tool for programming ECUs on vocational trucks. How did I learn how to do that? I read books, I took baby steps, I made mistakes, I sought out new knowledge and skills, and I learned whenever I could. For every architect working on a new building, there might be hundreds of construction workers, whose skillsets are just as valid, just as necessary, and readily learnable for those who wish to learn them. Software engineering is no different. There is room.... there is NEED... for software engineers who are skilled laborers. And we need a lot of them! If your job descriptions call out a degree requirement, it's highly likely you are overestimating the complexity of the work and the benefit of having a degree. And if you're hiring Jr. or entry-level software developers, asking for a degree or professional experience? You are doing your team and the industry a grave disservice. Do they have drive and rudimentary skills? That's enough to be Junior. Are you looking for someone to build and lead a diverse, inclusive, high-performing software engineering team? One that represents many roads to skill acquisition and career success? That's what I do.... reach out and let's talk!

I have 2 Master's Degrees. Let me fix your car's engine. Who the heck would say yes to this? Would you hand over your keys? If you would, you probably shouldn't. Why? Being a car mechanic is a vocation and a trade, and you want a mechanic with hands-on experience and skills working on your car. You want to know if your mechanic went to a trade school. A mechanic with just a Master's degree is an absurdity. What does reading about how engines work translate to actually working on and fixing a car? Not much. The same is true for corporate instructional design. Companies will not hire you to solve performance problems for their organization just because you know how to research and write papers. That's why IDOL Academy is a trade school. Instructional Design is a vocation and a practice. As an instructional designer, you are a practitioner. This means that if you want to take the company's keys to fix its business challenges, you're going to need evidence that you've done this before. You need a portfolio that demonstrates your experience, and you need hands-on experience in the field that was supervised by experts. A Master's Degree won't help you land a job in corporate instructional design, just like it won't help you become a car mechanic. My prediction is that this sentiment is true not just for instructional design but also for many of the other vocations that used to be supported only through higher education. Skills > degrees Act accordingly. Curious to hear your thoughts! 💭 Can you share a time when hands-on experience outweighed formal education in your field? Have you come across an opposite scenario? ⚙️🎓 Like, comment, or share to keep this important conversation going.

In the ongoing debate about whether degrees or certifications are necessary to break into tech, especially in cybersecurity, I firmly believe that hands-on experience trumps formal qualifications. The tech industry, particularly cybersecurity, is facing a significant challenge: a shortage of skilled professionals capable of handling the increasing scale and complexity of cyber attacks. In this context, what companies need are not just degrees or certifications on a resume, but people who can actually do the job – and do it well! While I'm not undermining the value of academic degrees or professional certifications, it's crucial to highlight that these are not the only gateways into the field of technology. The industry is progressively acknowledging this reality and is beginning to open its arms to those who may not have a formal background but possess the practical skills and experience that are desperately needed. Given the urgent demand for cybersecurity expertise, your hands-on skills are not just wanted; they are needed. More and more, we see tech companies, especially those in cybersecurity, choosing real-world experience and problem-solving skills over traditional educational credentials. So, if you're considering a career in tech but are concerned about not having a degree or certification, remember this: the landscape is not the same and is constantly changing. Your practical experience and ability to tackle real-world challenges are invaluable assets. In the world of cybersecurity, being able to actively contribute and defend against threats is what truly counts!

Every time I present on workforce development and career paths, I highlight the viable option of skilled trades in addition to college degrees. As the mother of a plumber who is also a firefighter/paramedic, I personally know the value of non-degree paths that lead to good salaries without incurring debt along the way. Just this week in a meeting with leadership at one of our 2-year colleges, we discussed multiple real-life examples of students who recently completed short-term training and are now employed in jobs making more than the average starting salary for most bachelor degrees. Still yet, there is also high value in a college education. This article, like many, cites the cost of college and references a private university that is $100,000 a year. The ROI for that is completely different than the ROI for most public institutions. For example, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock average tuition and fees is less than $10,000 an academic year, and that's without considering all of the financial aid options. While we have a shortage of skilled trades workers and need more entering those fields, we still need workers with degrees, especially in STEM fields. We must clarify the narrative being propagated about the value of degrees and the false dichotomy of trades or degrees being needed. BOTH are needed and should be equally respected. BOTH can have a positive ROI. https://lnkd.in/enT6Aa8i

🎓 Some good news for your Monday! 🌟 Amidst the debates on the value of a college education, our collaborative research with the North Carolina General Assembly brings a fresh perspective. The findings? A degree from the UNC System’s universities translates to a significant $500,000 median lifetime return on investment compared to non-degree holders in North Carolina. 📈 Even more inspiring is the impact on social mobility: nearly 90% of low-income students climb the economic ladder post-graduation. Diane Cheng of IHEP reminds us, "The evidence is clear: bachelor’s degree recipients from the UNC System fare better in lifetime earnings than fellow state residents without degrees." This isn’t just about numbers; it's about strategic state investment in postsecondary education, reaping benefits for students and communities alike. 🎓💡 Kudos to the team at Burning Glass Institute for illuminating the enduring value and potential of higher education. Here's to empowering more students with the opportunities they deserve! #EducationROI #EconomicMobility #UNCSystem #HigherEdImpact https://lnkd.in/eYHQ7AZH

#SundayJournal #college The stigma around not going to college. High schools nationwide have pushed an idea that if you do not go to college, you could not achieve financial success, or at least it would be drastically harder. When Money Vehicle began working with schools 5 years ago, we were met with a lot of questions around our missing ‘College Chapter’. Administrators would wonder where the student loan section was, how students apply for scholarships, and the empirical evidence of how much more money you will make once you graduate from college. Our response was very simple – We do not believe most students will go to college and are focused on the financial actions all students will take. While the last 50 years have seen the competitive advantage a college degree would give in the workforce as priceless, this notion is being challenged today as both the college ROI and the employment opportunity continues to shift in a new economic reality. It is hard to believe textbooks are not being used in schools and that every student should not go to college if your last experience in one of these schools was over a decade ago. Sure, there are pieces that were fast forwarded due to the pandemic, but the truth is that this stigma around not going to college is fading fast! Student’s today are asking a simple question ‘What will my finances look like on the other side of this decision’? When you begin to see the exponential growth of college tuition without an exponential growth of college degree salaries, you may ask the same question. Then you take into consideration the employment market, where technology jobs that have been exemplified for the current generation are also being questioned as to their stability. What seems like annual technology layoffs and the introduction of AI, students who are pursuing this pathway are also wondering if it is financially the most stable. Students should be encouraged to research a variety of options that lead down a variety of paths but with the knowledge that how they use their paycheck and not the paycheck itself will lead to their financial success. There is no one size fits all financial plan nor is there a one size fits all financial path. The options around apprenticeships and trade schools are becoming much more tangible for students today who see career paths that do not require debt and at least for the moment have employability in the future. The stigma of everyone needing college is fading, how it will be replaced is for the next generation to decide.