Yup get em young and dumb. The turn over has to be high, I would guess. They call that “ burn and turn”. Not a good environment.

Do not know too many sales roles that are capped with successful companies, so good on that point.

I actually like college grads that were student athletes and or bar tenders through college. putting yourself through college via the service industry is a good foundation for what we do. They hustle, dont make excuses, and know value in money. I also have had terrible luck with TCU and SMU grads, unless they were athletes.

Been with the same company since we were a start up, so 22 years, you?

I don't have a lot of turn over. Hire the right people and stand fast that if they fail its because you failed to provide them with the right tools and motivation, I take loosing people personal. We pay extremely well on the commission side also.

Agree with Luv2brode about tech training.

Also homemaking for both genders.

I haven’t had to conjugate a verb since I got out of high school.

Hmmm...I quit because of life and make what I would have had I stayed most likely.

Oldest could have graduated college at age 20 but has decided to stay as long as TWU is paying for it. Will likely graduate at age 22 with multiple degrees then start undergraduate ... never moving out permanently.

Second kid has more of a full ride than the first, his large apartment and parking garage, tuition, books, etc. is all paid but I think he's ready to earn so he'll get out and go at first chance in the next 18 months.

Third and fourth are still in public school and no way yet to know what they wanna do...

Join the military, see the world. Get Uncle Sam to pay for your college education.

I learned a skill It's mind less and low stress, but it pays well.

The kid got a good education at UT business school and does well for himself.

The wife got into the engineering school at UT and promptly realized math wasn't her thing, ended up with a cola degree. The thing about her is she is one of the most driven person I know. With or without the degree she would of achieved great things. The degree fast tracked her career 3 years. So even coupling a trash degree with one hell of a work ethic gets great results, and great pay.

Soooo, I guess there is no one answer. Degrees on average make more then non degrees in the long run. The person itself, is probably the most important factor in the equation.

I was talking to my wife this morning who teaches for TTU and across the board enrollment is down nationally. It’s been steadily declining for the past decade. The average is down 1.2 million students.

Necessary No, certain occupations and corporate levels requiring it in modern times - definitely. Lots of ways to make the $$$$, always have been - always will be. The person's work ethic and comittment are key, no matter a ditch digger, engineer, CFO/CEO, rancher, etc.etc.

No, and overall, it may never was.

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Some careers necessitate formal education. Medical, Engineering, Finance and a lot others aren’t OJT.

But, some critical jobs for our day to day living are all OJT. Cops, firemen, carpenters, ambulance drivers, plumbers, etc. Those guys are more important in our day to day lives than bankers, computer jocks and stockbrokers.

We are crashing in STEM. OPT EAD and H1 programs are growing at exponential rate, University and tech segment are raking in on it, and the data is in their favor by design to continue to grow it.

Maybe because the cost is 10X what it was 15 years ago and 25X what it was 30 years ago. Combine that with technology making degrees unessential in many fields and it's easy to see why.

What about the education kids get going into college? It matters too and I can attest that public school is way easier and way watered down than it was in the 80's and 90's.

Incorrect:

Many state boards and state licensing have requirements that require a college degree, most are professional licenses.

Licensing is a horrible point of proof since any license is merely an excuse for taxation.

Indeed.

After reading thru this it's safe to say all the anecdotal evidence doesn't mean anything, so here is some more. I have been blessed beyond belief with success from my companies with 3 years of college and no degree, my oldest son runs a ranch and guides and couldn't be more happy and enjoy his job anymore and he quit college after 2 years, the middle has a great job that he would not have gotten without his degree, the youngest is at a trade school in Phoenix. Everyone is different.

The Hispanic roofer that put my roof on showed me his $800,000 house being built. But, as said, depends on degree.

Most kids know by their senior if they are going to college or straight to working world. I would like to see some statistics of those that start college and those that actually see it through to a degree. I personally stopped at my Associates degree, and that has done zero for me lol. I was ready to work and make money. Had I been on a full ride scholarship maybe it would have been different. I would encourage the degree unless you are going to a trade school or the military.

My opinion, for whatever its worth, is that a higher education is a necessity for most people. "Higher education" meaning a certificate or degree beyond a high school diploma, as a HS diploma is almost meaningless nowadays. But if a person is only seeking minimum wage work, then there's not really a need for higher education.

HOWEVER - a higher education need not mean a bachelors degree. There are many, many people who would be well served with a vocational education, and certification in a trade - welding, plumbing, medical assistant, bookkeeping, etc. - that does not require a bachelors degree.

Our current system pushes such folks into the university schemes, raising demand and prices, and many of the graduates end up with a piece of paper that doesn't really add much value to their lives.

That's my

I was talking with an ex-neighbor yesterday, and asked him how he was doing. Said he was getting by, but barely. Was working for the railroad and making real good money. Had to quit that job due to a nasty divorce, and now he’d like to get back on with the RR, but has no degree and they won’t take him back.

Having a degree might not help you much in some jobs, but not having a degree can really hurt you.

I can't speak to all licensing, but electrician absolutely requires this oversight. My stepson is a licensed Master and owns his electrical contracting company. I've seen the experience requirement, education and testing play out. Also required continuing education is a good thing. You don't want someone that simply calls themselves an electrician showing up.

For me college was beneficial, but it was simply a place where I could go and not be a major detriment to society as an unprepared and stupid as all get out youthful male. It allowed me to muture as I met many from other parts of the state and learned how different people from other areas and with different backgrounds can be.

Started out as a History major, Uncle, head of human resources at TX Instruments and older brother, regional head of HR for Krogers got to me and told me how worthless that would end up. Midway through sophmore year, transferred into business w/a concentration in finance. Didn't really learn anything useful there, but it showed determination and a certain wilingness.

I got the golden opportunity to pay my own way through college and got married there. Pretty much worked full time and went to school with a full load each & every semester. Taught me toothpaste and toilet paper cost money. Didn't have any pre-conceived opinions upon graduating save to figure out any way possible to pay bills. Got my 1st job from my bartending gig, but not sure it would've been possible without college.

I've got friends and clients without degrees who can buy everyting I have, bury it somewhere where they can't get to it and get along just fine. If you attend college, it isn't the end all of everyting. It is just a step in the progression to the rest of your life.