Societal Expectations to Attend College
The report upholds that there is a widespread belief that post-high school success is determined by a college degree. Young adults revealed they are often influenced to attend college by parents and other family members, friends, teachers, and counselors. Nearly 8 in 10 students currently enrolled in either two- or four-year programs admit that their parents influenced their decision to attend college.
Moreover, people believe that college is the only pathway towards the most desirable industries. Three quarters of young adults considered college their top option after high school, and 63 percent of those with degrees went to college because they wanted to improve their ability to get a high-paying job post-graduation.
At the same time, 76 percent of those who did not enroll in college cite financial reasons; either wanting to earn a salary right after college or not being able to afford the cost of a degree. And one-third of those without a degree are unhappy with opportunities to work in their preferred field, calling for more alternative routes to train for today’s jobs.
Apprenticeships Provide an Alternative Pathway
Workforce training can include apprenticeships, whereby skills are learned and tested via immediate application in working scenarios. Professional apprenticeships are tuition-free and paid, and have the potential to create a true alternative to college training for the careers and roles most in demand in the US. In a survey of apprentices, 90 percent of apprentices are happy with their career choices, 81 percent are happy with their opportunities for progression and 73 percent rank their career prospects higher than their peers.
This press release originally appeared online.
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