From the Chronicle of Higher Education "The Great College-Degree Scam" (bachelor, skill)

[nicet4]

The Great College-Degree Scam

Here it is: approximately 60 percent of the increase in the number of college graduates from 1992 to 2008 worked in jobs that the BLS considers relatively low skilled—occupations where many participants have only high school diplomas and often even less. Only a minority of the increment in our nation’s stock of college graduates is filling jobs historically considered as requiring a bachelor’s degree or more. (We are working to integrate some earlier Edwin Rubenstein data on this topic (http://ao.hudson.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=article_detail&id=%202147 - broken link) to give us a more complete picture of this trend).

I am about ready to hire a trainee to hopefully take over my job in 5 to 7 years when I retire. He's 19 years old, currently working for us as a temp but he did graduate high school and in talking (quizzing really but he didn't know it) to him he did well in algebra and science.

I like the kid mostly because he has work ethic. He asks questions, appears to be genuinely interested in what we do, he isn't a clock watcher he'll actually clock out but stick around to talk and ask questions about things work related.

Poor kid doesn't know it but I have been watching him like a hawk. I know he will jump at the job (full time, higher pay and benefits) but I need to know does he have the character to stick out a five - six year apprenticeship? If he does he will start at $10, receive a $1.00/hr raise every six months and in five and a half years earn at least $50k in today's dollars but I need to know will the work ethic stick with him?

He doesn't drink, doesn't smoke and appears to be of good character. He is the kind that if he walks into the shop and sees a bit of trash on the floor he'll quickly pick it up without being told or watched. That is the kind of person I have been looking for.

[Milleka]

Originally Posted by nicet4

The Great College-Degree Scam



I am about ready to hire a trainee to hopefully take over my job in 5 to 7 years when I retire. He's 19 years old, currently working for us as a temp but he did graduate high school and in talking (quizzing really but he didn't know it) to him he did well in algebra and science.

I like the kid mostly because he has work ethic. He asks questions, appears to be genuinely interested in what we do, he isn't a clock watcher he'll actually clock out but stick around to talk and ask questions about things work related.

Poor kid doesn't know it but I have been watching him like a hawk. I know he will jump at the job (full time, higher pay and benefits) but I need to know does he have the character to stick out a five - six year apprenticeship? If he does he will start at $10, receive a $1.00/hr raise every six months and in five and a half years earn at least $50k in today's dollars but I need to know will the work ethic stick with him?

He doesn't drink, doesn't smoke and appears to be of good character. He is the kind that if he walks into the shop and sees a bit of trash on the floor he'll quickly pick it up without being told or watched. That is the kind of person I have been looking for.[/b]

I love this. I wish these types of situations were available to more young people. Good for you!

[lisdol]

nicet I hope he takes the offer. for both of your sakes!

Nice story.

[emathias]

so what happened?

[nicet4]

Originally Posted by emathias

so what happened?

Working good.

He now has his Level I certification and having passed testing for Level II all he has to do is wait for for his two year mark.

He is now starting to pay the company back, in terms of productivity and earning money, for his training.

He's now married with a couple children so he definitely feels the bite of responsibility. Yeah, married very young.

Paying him a little more than we figured, on Friday his take home pay for the week was $572, but he is worth it. Works hard, will take initiative, not afraid to make a decision, when he makes a mistake he learns from it and he isn't a clock watcher. In another two and a half years he'll be $26/hr.

He's looking at buying a house which makes us happy because it tells us he will stick around as long as he is happy.