Shrestha, Nishan; Paglia

College Degrees and Jobs

All people must have a job to live. Many people go to college so that they can get a degree that would help them find a job. However, nowadays many people with a degree cannot find a job. In my opinion, a college degree does not guarantee a job because college has provided students with a degree but not with the skills that they need for a job.  

I believe that college degrees were never meant to provide students with jobs. They were just meant to give students an education in their respective fields. College education has never been concerned with providing jobs to students after they graduate. For example, physics majors are taught about physical science, laws, and theories. They are never taught how to do a good job in an industry or a company. These students, then, only know about physics and nothing about their jobs. I am sure that most have no idea about the work in their field. Also, companies would not just hire them because they have 4.0 GPAs.

I believe that employers want the right person for the job. They're not looking for a certificate, a degree, a piece of paper; they are looking for a solution provider. If there are people who can do that for them and have a proven track record and can show what they've accomplished for other companies, I believe they will be considered.

Bill Gates never graduated from college. Neither did Michael Dell or Steve Jobs. These people are perfect examples of people who have achieved success in life without a college degree. Hence, it is clear that students do not need a degree to get a job but they do need skills and interest in what they are trying to achieve.

Recently, Trina Thompson, a graduate from New York’s Monroe College with a bachelor of business administration degree in information technology, sued her college because she did not get a job. Monroe College released a statement saying that “it is clear that no college, especially in this economy, can guarantee employment.” Hence, from this statement it is clear that a college degree cannot guarantee a job to a student.

In my opinion, because colleges cannot guarantee jobs to students then, at least, colleges could help students by offering practical courses that would not only help them find a job but also help them in their lives. For example, colleges should make students be involved in different extra-curricular activities and give credit for them so that they will take them seriously.

In conclusion, and from my point of view, to expect a job simply because you have a degree is naive. Simply having “good attendance and an all right GPA” is not enough. You need to bring real skills to the table. You need to show how ones skills and experience will separate you from the other 100 job applicants.