By Jeff Salisbury jeffsalisbury@charter.net
Stereotypically the Am
erican college student leaves high school and home at about age 18, moves onto a college campus for the next four years.
But in my case, I was definitely a “nontraditional” student because for me it was 13 years from high school graduation in 1967 to college graduation in 1980.
At the time, I often looked around my classes and felt out of place. But no more.
Now there are more and more college students like me — over the age of 21, enrolled part time, and are, as I was, financially independent thanks in part to holding down a variety of full and part-time jobs. That was how things unfolded for me as over those years and I focused on being committed to only taking classes when I had the money and gumption – and when I lacked one or both – well, I didn’t take any classes. But that was then and this is now.
Today, the ‘stereotypical’ student is the exception.
The National Center for Education Statistics reported some years ago that are about 18 million undergraduates enrolled in American higher education.
Of those almost 18 million undergraduate college students…
- 15 percent attend a four-year college and live on campus
- 43 percent attend two-year institutions.
- 37 percent of ALL undergraduates are enrolled part-time
- 32 percent of ALL undergraduates work full-time
- 36 percent (of the 15 percent) of students who enroll in a four-year college or university actually graduate in four years
The most significant shift is probably the massive growth in the adult student population in higher education.
Thirty-eight percent of those enrolled in higher education are over the age of 25 and one-fourth are over the age of 30. The share of all students who are over age 25 is projected to increase another 23 percent by 2019. Now, four years after this report and in the wake of the recession, most likely the numbers are even higher.
Demand for college certificates and less-than-four-year degrees reflects a changed and still-changing population and work-force
Slightly over half of today’s students are seeking a “sub-bacalaureate” credential (i.e. a certificate, credential, or associate’s degree).
In 2008-09, postsecondary institutions conferred 806,000 certificates and 787,000 associate’s degrees, or a total of about 1.59 million, as compared to 1.6 million bachelor’s degrees.
In 2008, more than half a million students were enrolled in a health sciences certificate program, making it the largest certificate program area.
Another 173,000 students sought a certificate in manufacturing, construction, repair, and transportation. While public discourse often focuses on four-year degrees, these other credentials matter, a lot.http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/09/old-school-colleges-most-important-trend-is-the-rise-of-the-adult-student/245823/
Still, when it comes to finding the right career path, it can be nearly impossible, given the “college-for-all” philosophy and the demise of so many high school vocational, skilled-trades and even general business courses, all in order to align high school curriculum with “more rigor” (Common Core State Standards) backed by moneyed educational privateers bent on making profits on the backs of public schools students and their parents from standardized testing companies to college loans firms.
Ironically, and little by little, I am reading more and more about the shortage of workers without four-year college degrees. How we got in this fix, in Michigan and across the country is best left for another column, but I am convinced schools have made the best of a terrible situation when it comes to career counseling. Frankly, parents and other taxpayers are increasingly finding themselves holding the bag (of not-much-money) for all this emphasis on “college readiness” resulting in too many students being short-changed in terms of what subjects and material and a vocation they’d really enjoy.
Increasingly – well, maybe little by little anyway – the corporate world is beginning to see that the shortage of “hands workers” who can still think critically and creatively about the task or tasks before them. And here’s one recent example in a report from Honda North America. Follow this link http://world.honda.com/sustainability/report/pdf/2015/Honda-SR-2015-en-all.pdf for the full report – but here’s a pertinent passage from page 70…
“U.S. manufacturing industry will generate employment for more than 3.4 million people over the next ten years, but there is expected to be a shortfall of 2.0 million, or approximately 60%, in human resources.
In light of this situation, Honda North America, Inc. announced in March 2015 that it will implement a new program to train the next generation who will shoulder cutting edge technology in manufacturing industry.
The objective of the program is to offer educational and training opportunities to junior and senior high school and university students and stimulate interest in manufacturing industry in addition to providing associates in manufacturing departments at the Honda Group with the chance for ongoing education.
The program will be conducted in Ohio, where Honda’s production site is located, and it will roll out a range of educational programs to suit each generation.
For example, the programs prepared for junior high school students involve video games with a manufacturing theme and a mobile laboratory allowing them to have fun while learning.
For senior high school students, the program is working with local high schools to offer the essential curriculum for manufacturing jobs as well as assisting with funding for curriculua in science and engineering. In addition, for university students, the program offers scholarships for manufacturing engineering technology and students hoping to gain associate degrees in manufacturing engineering or mechanical engineering as well as operating a work-study program for working at Honda while attending university.
These programs have been developed to assist in HR Development at Honda suppliers as well. Through this initiative, Honda will consistently secure personnel with ambition and skills as well as contributing through its ongoing activities to the progress of manufacturing industry, which is a must for the U.S. economy.”
Now, what did you think you knew about the typical college student? Maybe you were or knew someone who, like me, was non-traditional before the term was even used. Certainly people of my parents generation who returned from WWII and took advantage of the GI Bill to take college classes and learn or relearn enough to establish a bold career path all their own.
And now, I find Honda’s plan inspiring since I believe it is past time for government (federal, state and local) to partner with business and industry and our public schools to embark on a new path to career education and training, because what we all thought we knew turns out not to be so.
As always, when you can, please attend the next school board meeting!
Wayland Union Schools – Board of Education Regular Business Meetings, Work Sessions, Committee Meetings
• July 13, 2015 7:00 pm – Administration Building, 850 E. Superior (First Regular Business Meeting of the 2015-16 school year)
During the PUBLIC COMMENTS, tell board members to:
- Question Every Aspect of the District’s Essential and Non-Essential Educational Programming and Personnel Expenditures (Needs versus Wants)
- Set General Fund & Casino Revenue Spending Guidelines
- Track and Trim All Expenditures & Make Targeted Programs & Personnel Cuts As Needed
REMIND THE BOARD TO:
- “Build ONE Budget” – combine general fund revenue (local, state and federal dollars) and Gun Lake Casino “in lieu of taxes” revenue.
- “Pay Yourselves First” – restore the fund equity – which dipped from 15% to 7% in the last four years
- “No More Loans”
BOARD MEMBERS CONTACT INFORMATION:
- Nancy Thelen, President, Email: nancyboe@waylandunion.net Phone: 616-877-3098
- Tom Salingue, Vice-President, Email: tomboe@waylandunion.net Phone: 269-792-2061
- Toni Ordway, Treasurer, Email: ordwayt@waylandunion.net Phone: 269-910-3297
- Theresa Dobry, Secretary, Email: theresaboe@waylandunion.net Phone: 616-681-2119
- Janel Hott, Trustee, Email: hottj@waylandunion.net Phone: (h) 269-792-0297 (c) 269-250-0286
- Gary Wood, Trustee, Email: glw_boe@yahoo.com Phone: 616-681-2120
- Pete Zondervan, Trustee, Email: zondervanp@waylandunion.net Phone: 616-450-1468
