Other Ways to Win: Is Baccalaureate Education Right for Every Teen?

Ken Gray

Professor Emeritus, Penn State

gty@psu.edu

Presentation Objectives

• Increase effectiveness of academic advising via. – Challenging the “One Way to Win” mantra– Demonstrating “Other Ways to Wins”:– Stressing the importance of career maturity

and tentative career planning. – Providing a six step framework for

career/academic advising.

Today’s Freshman

66% Say that the chief benefit from college is increased earnings.

64% Have “some” or “major” concerns about the cost of college.

http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/norms06.php

24 Ninth Graders7 drop out (29%)5 graduate & go to work (21%)

12 Enroll in college (50%, not 70%) 4 Drop out freshman year7 Graduate in five years

3 Take “gray collar” jobs, nationally 4 Win the one way to win game

The fact is that large numbers of college graduates leave school as

unsure of what they will do “when they grow up” (except perhaps

continue to go to school) as they were when they started.

How CA Postsecondary Education Systems Address Workforce Development (2007).

CA Postsecondary Education commission

Uncertain Times

• Inflation adjusted earnings for 4-year college graduates are less today than in 1972.

• The average student loan debt is 20K• Growth of “Gray Collar” workers• Top 1% pay 40% of income taxes in U.S.

30% of highest income earners do not have a degree

• One third of young adults lack health insurance. Almost half of temporary workers are age 18-34.

Uncertainty in the Information Age

General Labor market implications.

Few new occupations.

Electronic/IT work is the easiest to off-shore

Volunteerism

Certifications more important than degrees

Less than fulltime employment

Telecommunting

Problem # 1The One Way to Win Paradigm

1. Get a four year college degree98% agree, 72% plan on grad school

2. In order to insure economic successThree of top 4 reasons for going to college

3. In the professional ranksProfessional/managerial 65% Technical 6%

University Graduates Employment 2000-2012

Supply Demand Employed

University Grads 1,439,264 670,000 47%

Only 13% of all jobs will require just a BA degree (Dept of labor projections to 2016).

The “Other Way to Win” Message

1. The “one way to win” philosophy is nonsense. It insures the majority of teens will fail.

2. There are Other Ways to Win. Technical education is a better way for many from the academic middle.

3. All students should go on to postsecondary education when and if they can benefit from the experience.

4. Career maturity is as important today as academic maturity.

The Other Way to Win

• Technician and Middle Skill Employment.

The High Skills/High Wage Workplace

30%

Ratio 1-3-2-4

What Types of Employees are Expected to Be in Short Supply Over the Next Years?

Source: “2005 Skills Gap Report: A Survey of the American Manufacturing Workforce” by National Association of Manufacturing

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

None

Others

Customer Service

Management & Administration

Sales & Marketing

Unskilled Production

Scientists % Engineers

Skilled production (Technicians)

Aerospace Career Technical Positions (partial)• Inspector• Technician, Electronic Research & Calibration • Technician, Industrial Electronic Systems • Technician, Instrumentation Controls • Fabricator, Plastic, Senior • Electrician, Maintenance Industrial • Laboratory Assistant • Mechanic, Heavy Duty Truck • Mechanic, Solid Propellant Development• Operator, Solid Rocket Motor• Tool, Jig and Fixture Builder • Technician, Vacuum Braze Furnace • Technician, Test and Assembly • Technician, Rocket Test "A" • Operator, Solid Rocket Motor "A"”• Operator, Solid Rocket Motor “B• Technician, Primary Standards - Mechanical • Technician, Inertial and Telemetry Systems • Sheet Metal, Journeyman

• Process Camera Technician• Photographer, Technical • Photographer, Still • Photographic Laboratory Processor • Photo Etch Processor • Metalsmith • Metalsmith, Experimental • Mechanic, Plastics • Mechanic, Maintenance • Mechanic, Crane • Mechanic, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration • Machinist, Journeyman • Machine Operator • Machine Tool Repairer & Rebuilder • Inspector, Tooling • Inspector, Radiographic/NDT • Grinder, Tool and Cutter • Firefighter• Fire Service Technician • Electro-Mechanical Bench Fabricator • Chemical Waste Technician

Occupational Skill not Degrees Provide Labor Market Advantage

High Skill/ High Wage

Low Skill/Low Wage

Other Ways to Win

Work Ethic & Work Ethics

Academic Skills

Occupational Skills

Problem #2

Widespread Career Immaturity

The Need to Help Teens

“Get Real”

All my life I’ve always wanted

to be somebody, but I see now

I should have been more specific.

Wagner, 1986

Other Ways to Win

Women and Career Choice

Men and Career Choice

Old Advice that is Now Bad Advice

• Postpone career choices as long as possible - You don’t want to close any doors.

• Do not worry about career/college major indecision - you will decide that in college.

Student Outcomes Goals of Career Development Programs

Help teens make the best career decision they can based on what they know “now” about themselves and the world of work.

If this is a good decision, the next decision will be even better.

Six Steps to Postsecondary Success

Step One

What is your goal

Why are you here

Graduation or graduation and a job?

Six Steps to PostsecondarySuccess

Step Two

Have a Back-up Plan

Plan A & Plan B

Six Steps to PostsecondarySuccess

Step Three

Reach a Shared Decision

Six Steps to PostsecondarySuccess

Step Four

Develop at least atentative

career plan

Six Steps to PostsecondarySuccess

Step Five• Be willing to consider all

the options!• Prep year

• One Year Technical Certificate• Two Year Technology Degree

• Four Year College• Military, Apprenticeship, Employment

Six Steps to PostsecondarySuccess

Step SixBe Realistic

Revisit Plan A & B

Wake Up Calls. How to know when plan B should be plan A.

The Obvious Wake-Up CallsHigh School Grades & AttendanceCollege Admission Test ScoresLack of any Career Direction (“I don’t

know what I want to do.”)School has always been a source of

conflict (“I hate school.”)

The Not So Obvious Wake-Up Calls

Generally evasive about after high schoolAvoids taking the college entrance test (SAT,

ACT)Never gets around to filling out College

applications. Applies to colleges based on the difficulty of

the application, where friends are going, nice climate, good skiing, etc.., etc.., etc..

The Ethical Dilemma

• Institutional goals versus what is good for the client.

• Nutritional lies or reality check.

References

• Allen, D. (2008). Career Maturity and College Persistence. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Penn State University.

• Gray K. & Herr, E. (2006) Other Ways to Win. 3ed. Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks, CA.

• Gray, K. (2008) Getting Real: Helping Teens Find Their Future. 2nd. Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks CA

• Visher, M., Bhandari, R., & Medrich, M., (2004, October). High school career exploration programs: Do they work? Phi Delta Kappan , 86(2), 135-138.