The ‘elite university’ is not a competency.
This article was originally posted in the 2050Work weekly newsletter on Mar. 20, 2019
What happens when we create (and preserve) an education system that undeniably champions elitism above a true meritocracy? What, then, happens when our workforce boasts merit as a principal determinant for hiring?
We see the most privileged among us leap even further ahead by unimaginable means to ensure more success. And the result is that entire industries must inevitably and collectively scramble to become fair and equitable for everyone, without mending a broken system.
In “Bribing Our Way to College and Career Success”, Karla Monterroso, CEO of Code2040, challenges readers to think beyond Lori Laughlin, Felicity Huffman, and the dozens of other parents and school officials entangled in the college admissions scam that dominated the news cycle.
A few takeaways to note:
- “Elitism fuels injustice. As a result, our workforce structures require a potential applicant to have had the influence, means, resources for skill development, time and luck at age 16 to determine their future for the next 15 years.”
- “We have created a structure that incentivizes the cheating and manipulation that money can bring and money is more accessible in some communities than others.”
- “At 38 of our most selective colleges and universities, there are more students from the top 1% than the bottom 60%.”
How do we begin to dismantle the long-held belief that the better the education, the better the employee? According to Karla, “the first step in untangling that structure is for companies and nonprofits to realize that ‘elite university’ is not a competency. Competencies are competencies.”
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