College or Something Else?

Now that all of our schools are open and back in full-swing, I thought I would tell you about what researchers have heard from high school students regarding the questions they’re asking about education, work, and their futures. A survey of fourteen to eighteen year-olds conducted back in June has found that students want their kindergarten through twelfth grade education to give them more knowledge about the skills needed to help them understand what training and career options are available after graduation beyond just college. Specifically, our high school kids are asking, “Do I need a college degree?” With student loan debt rising, more and more young people are considering going into the workforce rather than heading off to college. As parents and youth workers, we need to help our kids understand their unique God-given giftedness, and encourage them into the trades as an option. All work is valuable and all work matters to God. College is not their only option.