<p>It’s scary but that’s really nothing new. Perhaps what has changed is the debt level that grads are coming out with…and their salary expectations! I think that most of my generation understood we would have to “pay our dues”…my friends and I continued to live students for several years after graduation while we were working our way up the pay scale. Some of us have changed careers several times and I think our educations have allowed us to adapt to changing job markets. As others have said, following the “traditional” route of HS to full-time college to full-time, career related employment may not be the best choice these days and there are other choices. Managing debt, whether by starting at a CC/local college, paying as you go, having a secondary skill set that you can fall back on, etc. are all valid options.</p>
<p>Annasdad makes a great point and I agree that it really depends on the needs of the local area and the individual’s aptitude, training, and work ethic. My youngest, now a freshman, pursued an interest and started working on electrical certifications in HS. We live in a very depressed area and he’s had no trouble finding work at well above minimum wage, even with employers who aren’t advertising. When he wants more work he will network and ask for referrals instead of relying solely on the job listings. The CC’s are pretty good at targeting technical degrees to industries/careers that are experiencing shortages. In my area, these include allied health, linesmen, firefighters, aircraft maintenance, solar/wind installers, electricians, masons, plumbers, etc. They aren’t jobs everyone wants or can do, but many of them offer a living wage and benefits. Imho, knowing how to actually “do something” is pretty useful in today’s economy as those jobs can’t be sent elsewhere.</p>
<p>If you really want work, go to North Dakota! There is a critical shortage of workers there. NPR said that McDonald’s is offering $15/hour plus a $300 signing bonus and a flat-screen TV for recruiting new employees. The state needs skilled AND unskilled workers.</p>
<p>In 1986, my husband and I had to move from Texas to Maine to find engineering jobs, because oil prices fell through the floor and there were practically no entry-level jobs in Texas. We each had a master’s degree and excellent GPAs. So I don’t have a lot of sympathy for people who complain about a lack of jobs in their area. If the unemployment rate is 16%, you might actually have to MOVE!</p>
<p>Why don’t you just work harder…? Sorry that no one is going to hand you a six figure salary right out of school… the biggest issue we face is people feeling they’re entitled to a job… you’re not.</p>
<p>For every kid complaining about the economy their is another one landing a job because they worked their ass of for it.</p>
<p>The reason employers in North Dakota are willing to pay more for ALL types of employees is the fact it is North Dakota…not a place many are willing to transfer to…</p>
<p>If college doesn’t make sense to you and you feel like it would be a waste of your time, then it probably won’t be a good experience for you. If you go into any endeavor with such a negative mindset, it’s usually not successful. Sounds like you’ve made up your mind–so why not start looking for an alternative (job or technical training) so that you can make a living, support yourself, and be content.</p>
<p>Posts: 658 "The reason employers in North Dakota are willing to pay more for ALL types of employees is the fact it is North Dakota…not a place many are willing to transfer to… " </p>
<p>And??? Do you have any idea why so many engineering managers in these less desirable places are immigrants? Because they are willing to uproot themselves and their families to go where the job is. So if you want to get somewhere in your career be willing to put your career first. An English speaker who is well educated and willing to live wherever the job is can do just fine!</p>
<p>^^exactly^^^… But as you note, they are immigrants,so using the term ‘uproot’ is meaningless…try and get many educated people,not immigrants or 1st generation,to relocate to ‘less desirable’ areas(your words), not likely</p>
<p>^^^I don’t see why. They are more than happy to relocate for college. Of course if your kid’s first criteria on the college search is somewhere warm limit the $$ you are willing to invest in Mr. Special. Everybody gets to pay their dues. My first job was in Iowa - west of Des Moines. Love getting stuck behind a tractor at 6 am. It’s even more fun than the Long Island Expressway. Tell Jr. to get over himself.</p>
<p>I am sure there are plenty of nice things about North Dakota and other “seemingly” remote spots- they do have cities in ND, you know. Let’s not play coastal snobs. Many fine people. Probably plenty of transplants willing to start their careers where the jobs are.</p>
<p>I have tons of Jamaican clients who belie your argument.</p>
<p>They do well in America, and their kids become doctors and engineers.</p>
<p>The mere fact that economy is bad now doesn’t mean it will always be bad. America has had recessions before.</p>
<p>People were down in the dumps when Carter was President, but four years later, the economy boomed under Reagan for about six years. People were down in the dumps when Bush I was President, but then the economy did well under Clinton.</p>
<p>Far from a coastal snob,lol…BUT if North Dakota was even remotely desirable for job seekers,employers would NOT have to overpay for employees…supply and demand…</p>
<p>What exactly is wrong with ND? I’ve been to both Dakotas and would be willing to live there if I was starting out and got a decent offer there. My guess is that most job seekers on both coasts simply never look for or are recruited for jobs there. If ND needs more workers, perhaps they should mount a campaign…I’m getting tired of the “Come to California” ads, particularly as winter approaches:)</p>
<p>Did you not whine when you were in the situation?</p>
<p>I’d go to North Dakota. Infact I just pulled up a list of corporations headed in ND. Checked career opportunities for about half of them (it’s a pretty short list), didn’t find a single one which was looking for operations. I saw plenty of unskilled labor opportunities, but nothing for engineering.</p>
<p>Things won’t go back to how they were, but no one knows what opportunities the future will bring. Old-style manufacturing jobs and lifelong job security are diminishing, but other forms of labor may take their place. Many of the jobs that exist today didn’t exist 40 years ago. 40 years from now, the world will look quite different. </p>
<p>It is a waste of time, and kind of a cop-out, to blame your own unhappiness on world-historical forces. You have to go out and make something of the world as you find it, not as you’d like it to be. If you are an 18-year-old in college in the USA right now, you’re pretty lucky by world-historical standards. There are a lot worse ways to spend your days.</p>
<p>The debt is completely optional! If you are currently taking on too much debt, and it sounds like you are, then finish your semester and transfer to a college you can afford. </p>
<p>The job prospects are daunting but there are jobs. It may take longer to find one, you might wind up in a different field but hang in there.</p>