Recent survey data has indicated that employers are placing less value on college degrees, leading rather to a renewed appreciation for blue-collar job-seekers with practical skills and experience.
The study, conducted by the Freedom Economy Index (FEI), revealed that a majority of small business employers believe that higher education institutions are not graduating students with relevant skills needed in today’s business community.
“This doesn’t surprise me at all,” former blue collar worker and author Ken Rusk stated.
The Freedom Economy Index showing small businesses are dissatisfied with college graduates… https://t.co/btqBrhK79O pic.twitter.com/4EHhxI5dl3
— AnalyzingAmerica (@AnalyzAmerica) November 21, 2023
“Colleges used to be a place where you would get a degree, and that would only enhance an effective human being, an already effective human being.”
“Now we’re seeing colleges attach these degrees to people that literally can’t come out and do some of the life skills that we need.”
The sentiment is echoed by some employers who feel that high schools and colleges are not producing skilled talent.
“The talent shortage will just get worse because high schools and colleges produce no talent,” one employer expressed.
“They’ve [graduates] kind of been hoodwinked a little bit to think that the degree is the thing that’s going to carry the day completely,” Rusk stated.
“You have to remember that it’s something that you’re supposed to use to enhance the skills that you already have, and that’s what we’re seeing now.”
“They’re relying way too much on that piece of paper or that degree, rather than getting some of the experiences that they need [and] that these companies really want.”
Job-seekers with college degrees are perceived as relying too heavily on their credentials rather than practical experience.
In fact, over 40% of employers stated that a college degree would make them less likely to hire a prospective applicant.
“Let’s use this to apply the law of supply and demand in our favor here, where supply is low and demand is high. That’s where the money goes,” Rusk said.
“You can get a degree, or you can get a certificate in a lot of these trades for a tenth or a fifth of what you’re paying for college.”
“Not only that, but you’re doing it in half the time, and you’re earning money while you’re learning versus paying to learn and then hoping you get a job that matches up with that debt.”
The shift away from requiring college degrees has been observed in major companies, including Walmart, IBM, Accenture, Bank of America, and Google, as the costs of higher education continue to rise.
Most Popular:
The Ugly Truth About Obama Exposed
Panic Mode: Hunter Can’t Hide Anymore
‘Woke’ Miss Universe Pageant Goes Bankrupt
