<p>Interesting paper attached here.
Four</a> Years of College Isn't for Everyone, Harvard Study Says - Bloomberg</p>
<p>I work at a community college that serves the educational needs of our community, including many vocational/technical programs, as well as 2-year academic programs and transfer programs. I would agree that a 4-year degree is not for everyone, but sometimes that is hard to remember, particularly in forums like this one, where whether or not getting into an Ivy League college constitutes abject failure in life, can be discussed at length.</p>
<p>While I would agree that 4 years of college is not for everyone, I would assert that post-secondary education IS indeed for everyone. It is the very rare person today who can become successful with only a high school degree. At a minimum, training in a vocational or technical school should be considered. Also, if a kid coming out of high school is not sure what s/he wants to do, trying out college at a community college is a lower risk/cost solution.</p>
<p>Having said that, at the same time, the value of a Bachelors degree has fallen. When I graduated in 1977, a B.S. in a physical science discipline was a ticket to a good job. Today, those same jobs are going to PhD holders, and Masters degrees are rapidly becoming an endangered species. So, I would also agree that 4 years of college isn’t for everyone - they should consider 6-8 years instead.</p>
<p>In other news, the sky is still blue.</p>
<p>Yes, but do bears still ***** in the woods?</p>
<p>Educational system in Germany is a good model. You need to go through a professional training school to be a chief, a brewery master, or even a bricklayer. Germans seldom let the amateurs to do the professional’s job. 
That is a good thing, I think.</p>
<p>my nephew just got a job with the city fire dept as a firefighter/EMT. He has a degree.</p>
<p>A lot of the two-year programs at our CC are linked with the potential of also getting a BA/BS in 4 years to go with the credential (RN, RT, or other certification that will help them get a job once they’re done with school). </p>
<p>I know a young man who is attending mechanic’s school for a specific brand. I think tuition is about $30-40K/year for several years but when he graduates, he’s GUARANTEED a job (or so I’ve been told).</p>
<p>Many of our firefighters, cops, even secretaries have BA/BS degrees as well.</p>