Why more career immersion in education is imperative.
“The most dangerous phrase in the language is ‘We’ve always done it this way.’” — Grace Hopper.
Opportunity and mobility are two qualities that go hand-in-hand. There is no denying we’ve seen unprecedented growth in both, with a previously unheard-of breadth of career options for so many of our college graduates. While multi-generational lines of consistent careers ebbs however (think — my father’s a dentist, my grandmother was a dentist, my grandmother’s grandmother was a dentist), the programs to inform students of what their other options are really about, and whether it would make a fulfilling career for them, has not kept apace. The opportunities are there, but our mobility is hampered by connections, exposure, and even a pure lack of awareness.
In a recent Harris poll, 2/3rds of 14–23 year-old students ranked “to provide financial security” above all else for their motivation in seeking a degree. They view education as a ladder to the job that is going to make them successful, and why shouldn’t they? Tuition has had a relentless bull-market, averaging 8% growth, well above inflation, and well within eye-watering-financial-burden-doubles-every-9-years-pants-on-fire status. So does our current system match this as a top priority? Hardly.
The key metric most colleges follow along these lines is employment rates immediately following graduation, and in this arena many of the top schools are doing just fine, but look beyond those numbers and it becomes murky just how useful that metric really is. “Financial security” is much more than just landing a job, any job. If it makes you miserable, will you be sustainably secure, or burn out? If there is no growth opportunities, how long will you stick around? If you happened upon the career because that just happened to be what you know of from a family member, a friend, or the most vocal voice recruiting on your campus, what are the odds it is really the best fit for you, out of the burgeoning options available? And of course, what if you didn’t need your degree for the job in the first place? The last of which being the easiest to measure, surveys show ~40% of graduates are currently underemployed. 4 out of 10. This does not sound financially secure.
It’s a top priority, but what percentage of a student’s time is spent exploring careers? What percentage of a school’s resources are dedicated to helping them do so? What can a student really learn from an information session? I would estimate careers are 80% of the value of higher-ed, but only 20% of time and resources are spent on it. It’s time to we get serious about arming students with the tools and programs to pierce the career veil and flip this equation up-right. Buzzwords, power-points, and movies do not convey a career. Ask someone pursuing investment banking what they will actually be doing hour-to-hour should they land an internship, and odds are the answer will be unfortunately incoherent. Career immersion is the answer, empowering meaningful relationships with employees actually experienced in the field is the answer, re-thinking recruiting and career learning is needed.
As the student debt crises increasingly comes to the fore, it’s my hope that career immersion as a core underpinning of our educational system does as well. Do we need to control tuition? Certainly. But can’t we also help make the college experience worth the cost? A fulfilling career is undeniably an amazing gift, and a great step towards making your journey meaningful!
