Everybody is easily enticed by the idea that a college degree will guarantee an economically safe future. For today’s college students, it is important to focus on developing skills that pass the test of time and usefulness.
Rather than a prospective income, the main goal of a college education should be to gain skills corresponding to the needs of the present societal and work landscape.
A typical student will spend two or four years at college after graduating from high school.
After college graduation, he or she expects to get a comfortable entry-level job; hoping to advance up the corporate ladder to secure a better salary and a good retirement. A big paycheck can help you satisfy these financial goals.
As time passes, work and family responsibilities consume us.
Today’s obligations expose the individual to problems such as emotional instability, unexpected economic downturns, poor health conditions and issues raising children. It takes more than money to tackle these problems.
Using social media and smart technology calls for an individual with adaptable skills to be able to handle the demands of the modern work environment. When making an appointment or paying a bill, people need to understand and use technology for convenience. Possessing money does not necessarily confer those skills.
This is the century of migration in large scale. People are moving all around the world. Businesses are becoming increasingly global. It requires the ability to understand other cultures and work in collaboration with others. People need more than money to succeed in these circumstances.
There are gaps in our perception of what it means to be educated, or rather, in our understanding of what the real purpose of a college education is.
When deciding which career to pursue, a great amount of people lean toward a degree with the highest income possible, not necessarily the one they would enjoy more. When choosing a degree, income should be secondary.
Money income is very unstable. The focus of a college education should be in gaining skills such as critical and analytical thinking, interdisciplinary training, intercultural teamwork and the relevant skills to continue learning throughout the rest of our lives.
These skills would be more useful in our family, work and community. They can help you attain better living conditions, more enjoyment out of life and could even help you get a better salary. A big paycheck will never do this.
