What to tell students and parents

Careers Without College

Kids

Schools

Jobs

Success

Seniors Class of 2009(age 18) 2021 (age 30)

Juniors Class of 2010(age 18) 2022 (age 30)

Sophs Class of 2011(age 18) 2023 (age 30)

Freshmen Class of 2012(age 18) 2024 (age 30)

KDG Class of 2021(age 18) 2033 (age 30)

I am …

I live in …

I work at …

But

What If

I

Don’t Want To

Go To

College??

HOW DO WE

MAKE IT

HONORABLE

TO SAY

I DON’T WANT TO

GO TO COLLEGE?

Artistic

Athletic

Social

Make-it, Fix-it

Numbers

Outdoors

Words

SENIOR GIFT1.What are you good at?

StrengthsTalentsAptitudesAbilitiesSkillsAssets

2.What could you do with those strengths out in the world?

Name four or five jobs/careers you could realistically aspire to given the strengths you have.

3.Are you smart?

Wrong Questions

Should I go to college?

What college should I go to?

Right Questions

What are my strengths, talents, abilities, aptitudes, assets, interests?

What do I want t do in life? Where do I want to go? What do I want to be?

AND THEN….

Do I need college as a means to get there?

“EVERY KID SHOULD HAVE IT DRUMMED INTO

THEIR HEAD THAT THEY ARE GOING TO

COLLEGE.”

-Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm quoted in the Detroit Free Press March 16, 2004

“A HIGHSCHOOL DIPLOMA

IS A TICKET TO

NOWHERE…”

-Jim Ballard, Executive Director, Mich. Assn. of Sec. School Principals

Kalamazoo Gazette, Oct. 12, 2005, p. A2

FOUR PROPOSITIONSNow and in the foreseeable future there are

lots of good jobs out there that don’t require a B.A.

There’s too much push in our society and in our schools to funnel all kids into college.

Too many in college don’t know why they are there or where they are going.

It’s wrong to tell high school students that all good jobs require a B.A.

THREE CONSIDERATIONSIf high school were more useful

fewer would have to go on to college

Too many use college as a very expensive form of career exploration

Could schools become proud of the number who don’t have to go on to college?

“We’ve done a

great job in

this country of

taking the

dignity out of

a lot of work.”NASB National Conference

75-80%High School

OrHigh School +

_______________________20-25%

B.A.Or

B.A. +

HAVESKILLS

WILLTRAVEL

JOBS/CAREERSHIGH SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL+ALL THE ENTREPRENEURSHIPSALL THE TRADESSALES AND SALES REPSHOSPITALITY AND TOURISMMANUFACTURINGARMED SERVICESINTERNET START-UPSPOSTAL SERVICE+RADIO AND TELEVISIONBOTTOM RUNG LEARNING

HOW TO TELL KIDS AND PARENTSSay it out loud: You don’t need a B.A. for some

great careers. Don’t go to college, go to work.Talk about local and national successful people

without a BACreate pictorial displays of local and national

successful people with a BACreate pictorial displays of books and magazines

cited in today’s handoutConfront the bias that says college bound kids are

better than non-college bound kidsInvite in community speakers who do not have a

BATell them the alternatives: jobs right out of high

school, military service; you can always go to college later if you want to

Do a job fairDo programs similar to the program being done

here todayRevamp the C.O.