Masters degree and working at McDonalds?

[Abbey Marie]

From an article today about the Dark Knight shooter:


"Academically, he was the top of the top," Timothy White, the chancellor, said on Friday.

But he could not find a job after graduating, working at a McDonald's before returning to his studies in Colorado in May 2011



I believe these two sentences probably go a long way towards explaining why he went off.
We should not be churning out so many graduates if there are no jobs for them.

Not sure what the solution is, as I'm certainly not looking for more gov't involvement in our lives.

[fj1200]

Not sure what the solution is, as I'm certainly not looking for more gov't involvement in our lives.

Fewer subsidies for students?

[darin]

Because every professional i know says "You gotta get that piece of paper! Doesn't matter what it is!" We, as a society should STOP that crap. Make degrees MATTER other than 'just that piece of paper' - would save a lot of frustration.

[aboutime]

Because every professional i know says "You gotta get that piece of paper! Doesn't matter what it is!" We, as a society should STOP that crap. Make degrees MATTER other than 'just that piece of paper' - would save a lot of frustration.

If that Piece of Paper is as valuable as many claim it is. How do you explain 95 percent of the U.S. Congress, and the Pretend President who only use their Piece of Paper to Wipe their Behinds?

Much like that Piece of Paper Obama took an Oath to defend, that now, only serves as a Huge BABY-WIPE for his Butt, and mutually...for his Mouth.

[Kathianne]

From an article today about the Dark Knight shooter:



I believe these two sentences probably go a long way towards explaining why he went off.
We should not be churning out so many graduates if there are no jobs for them.

Not sure what the solution is, as I'm certainly not looking for more gov't involvement in our lives.

and his folks are in California, with high unemployment and grad rates.

[Nell's Room]

Ask the employers why they refuse to hire people who are qualified. Because they'd prefer to hire an illegal and pay them half as much as they would pay the American.

[Missileman]

Ask the employers why they refuse to hire people who are qualified. Because they'd prefer to hire an illegal and pay them half as much as they would pay the American.

Qualified as in competent or qualified as in legal? Most of the jobs being filled by illegals are unskilled labor. They are mostly menial, low-wage jobs that a lot of U.S. citizens won't even apply for. Only a fucking moron (or a liberal) would expect to get paid $35K a year to sweep floors and empty trash bins.

Here's the thing. Almost without exception, people are in minimum wage jobs of their own volition. THEY made the decision to screw off in school and not take advantage of a FREE education. THEY made the decision to smoke dope instead of learning a trade. THEY made the decision to wind up with a criminal record that makes them undesireable candidates. THEY made the decision to not invest in themselves the time and effort to make themselves worthy of more than minimum wage. I don't have an ounce of sympathy for any of them. I sure as hell don't feel any obligation to part with any of my hard earned dollars to raise their standard of living.

I filed my first tax return in '73 when I was 12-years-old and have filed one every year since. IIRC, I made $.90 an hour that first year, but saved enough money to buy my own school clothes. I lived paycheck to paycheck for most of the 21 years I was in the AF. I've used skills I learned in the AF to make myself invaluable to my current employer, so since retirement things are better, but I'm not well-off by any standard.

What I see in my neck of the woods are lots of young people with some jacked-up priorities. Every other car on the street is some $800 P.O.S. that some idiot has put several thousand dollars of rims and speakers into. Money that could have been invested in improving their future job prospects. It makes my blood boil when I hear the liberals drone on and on about how we need to invest in these maggots that won't invest in themselves.

[DragonStryk72]

Qualified as in competent or qualified as in legal? Most of the jobs being filled by illegals are unskilled labor. They are mostly menial, low-wage jobs that a lot of U.S. citizens won't even apply for. Only a fucking moron (or a liberal) would expect to get paid $35K a year to sweep floors and empty trash bins.

Here's the thing. Almost without exception, people are in minimum wage jobs of their own volition. THEY made the decision to screw off in school and not take advantage of a FREE education. THEY made the decision to smoke dope instead of learning a trade. THEY made the decision to wind up with a criminal record that makes them undesireable candidates. THEY made the decision to not invest in themselves the time and effort to make themselves worthy of more than minimum wage. I don't have an ounce of sympathy for any of them. I sure as hell don't feel any obligation to part with any of my hard earned dollars to raise their standard of living.

I filed my first tax return in '73 when I was 12-years-old and have filed one every year since. IIRC, I made $.90 an hour that first year, but saved enough money to buy my own school clothes. I lived paycheck to paycheck for most of the 21 years I was in the AF. I've used skills I learned in the AF to make myself invaluable to my current employer, so since retirement things are better, but I'm not well-off by any standard.

What I see in my neck of the woods are lots of young people with some jacked-up priorities. Every other car on the street is some $800 P.O.S. that some idiot has put several thousand dollars of rims and speakers into. Money that could have been invested in improving their future job prospects. It makes my blood boil when I hear the liberals drone on and on about how we need to invest in these maggots that won't invest in themselves.

won't argue you the illegals point, it's a fair cop. However, plenty of college graduates are in this position too, even those who did well in their class. For instance, the Aurora theater shooter brought up in the OP? Top of his class, Master's degree, still ended up at McDonald's.

The problem is that, no offense MM, when you entered the workforce, it was a completely different animal. You could expect to work for a single company for most of your life, and retire from that company. That has gone out the window, regardless of the cause. Company don't want you to be there for 21 years, because then they would actually have to pay you and all. College degrees nowadays are the equivalent of High School diplomas 20 years ago, and the gap is growing instead of shrinking. I have seen posting for janitorial work that requires a bachelor's degree. Really? I need a bachelor's degree to swab a floor? seems like I managed to do plenty of that in the Navy with no degree at all. Changed trash bins, stripped and waxed floors, even used a vacuum here are there.

College is no longer something that you might do if there is something you are absolutely passionate about, like medicine, or running your own business. Instead, it's now the 13th grade. It's just expected that you will go.

[Kathianne]

Ask the employers why they refuse to hire people who are qualified. Because they'd prefer to hire an illegal and pay them half as much as they would pay the American.

The reason a postgrad neuroscience student is working at McD's has little to do with illegals, they aren't usually working at McD's or in jobs the student may qualify for. The problem for the 'student' or recent grad is that older workers are not retiring at the 'normal rates', they've lost too much of their planned saving over the past 4 years. Then there is the continued suppression of job openings due to concern over future economy, taxes, and costs to business in general.

As the bottom has fallen of the entry and mid-level jobs, many overqualified folks are taking jobs that once would have been for 16-21 year olds, with salaries that match.

[Missileman]

won't argue you the illegals point, it's a fair cop. However, plenty of college graduates are in this position too, even those who did well in their class. For instance, the Aurora theater shooter brought up in the OP? Top of his class, Master's degree, still ended up at McDonald's.

The problem is that, no offense MM, when you entered the workforce, it was a completely different animal. You could expect to work for a single company for most of your life, and retire from that company. That has gone out the window, regardless of the cause. Company don't want you to be there for 21 years, because then they would actually have to pay you and all. College degrees nowadays are the equivalent of High School diplomas 20 years ago, and the gap is growing instead of shrinking. I have seen posting for janitorial work that requires a bachelor's degree. Really? I need a bachelor's degree to swab a floor? seems like I managed to do plenty of that in the Navy with no degree at all. Changed trash bins, stripped and waxed floors, even used a vacuum here are there.

College is no longer something that you might do if there is something you are absolutely passionate about, like medicine, or running your own business. Instead, it's now the 13th grade. It's just expected that you will go.

In a lot of cases, these people got degrees in useless fields. Career counseling failed them or they never bothered to get it. They spent four extra years going to classes(in some cases) because it's expected as you say, and acquired nothing useful.

[DragonStryk72]

In a lot of cases, these people got degrees in useless fields. Career counseling failed them or they never bothered to get it. They spent four extra years going to classes(in some cases) because it's expected as you say, and acquired nothing useful.

Right, and we never bother looking at them and telling them that there are few, if any, jobs available in that field. Myself, I didn't know what I wanted to do, and so college seemed like a solid way to waste a ton of money. Instead, I joined the Navy, figuring that I could go back later, when I did know what I wanted. However, that option isn't put forward these days to many high schoolers, or worse, the option is removed entirely by parents who are lining up their kid for college all the way in freshman or sophomore year, before the kid even has a clue of what they want to do. So what happens? The college student switches majors, even doing so multiple times because of course they don't really know what they want to do, or what is within their ability to do. I mean, by the end of high school, they haven't really done anything that would move that process along.

Gone are the paper routes for kids who want extra cash to save up for a car, teaching them what its like to work, and to earn the fruits of that labor. The sports teams are giving out the same trophy to everyone,completely destroying the sense of accomplishment that used to come when your team did well, and the learning experience that comes with knowing you didn't do well. Even academic achievement is being set to the side in favor of learning to get better standardized test scores. Where does that leave us?

[tailfins]

From an article today about the Dark Knight shooter:



I believe these two sentences probably go a long way towards explaining why he went off.
We should not be churning out so many graduates if there are no jobs for them.

Not sure what the solution is, as I'm certainly not looking for more gov't involvement in our lives.

Having parents that were raised during the Great Depression helped me "take a punch", not panic and get out of any hole I might fall into. Secondly, Information Technology seems to have less of the degree centric culture. If you pass a certification in a highly desirable skill set, jobs are reasonably easy to get. Once you get a good collection of references and successful projects, even the certifications don't really matter.

Today's version of a "paper route" is for a teen to diligently study Microsoft Office tutorials and find small companies that need simple solutions completed.

[Kathianne]

In a lot of cases, these people got degrees in useless fields. Career counseling failed them or they never bothered to get it. They spent four extra years going to classes(in some cases) because it's expected as you say, and acquired nothing useful.

Did you all see this Amazon benefits? Excellent, practical, and great for employees:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200979350&pf_rd_t=101&tag=insta0c-20&linkCode=ur2&view-type=stand-alone&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=1385640982&pf_rd_s=gateway-center-column&camp=1789&pf_rd_r=12S20AFVC18VPDQDE4TP&creative=9325&pf_rd_i=507846


Amazon Career Choice Program FAQs What is the Amazon Career Choice Program? The Amazon Career Choice Program is an innovative program designed to expand the choices available to our associates in their future career, whether that's at Amazon or in another industry. Many Associates will choose to build a career at Amazon. For others, a job at Amazon may be the first step in a career path in another industry. The Amazon Career Choice Program provides associates with a resource for building the job skills needed for today's most in-demand and well-paying careers, such as aircraft mechanics, computer-aided design, machine tool technology, medical laboratory science, dental hygiene, and nursing, to name a few.
Who is eligible for this program? All Amazon full-time hourly associates in the U.S. who have been employed for three consecutive years are eligible to participate in this program.
What makes this program unique compared to other tuition assistance programs at other employers? Unlike traditional tuition reimbursement programs, we exclusively fund education only in areas that are well-paying and in high demand according to sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and we fund those areas regardless of whether those skills are relevant to a career at Amazon. In addition, the Amazon Career Choice Program will pay tuition and fees in advance rather than reimbursement after the completion of the course.
What fields of study are qualified for the program? The Amazon Career Choice Program will pre-pay 95% of tuition and associated fees at accredited schools for courses that lead to technical and vocational certifications or associate's degrees in eligible in-demand fields, such as Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical and Electrical Trades, Healthcare, Construction, Transportation, and Accounting. Specific examples include aircraft mechanics, computer-aided design, machine tool technology, medical laboratory science, dental hygiene, and nursing. This program focuses on technical and vocation training programs and does not apply to Bachelors or Master's degree coursework.
What are the maximum benefits under the program? Amazon will pay up to 95% of the tuition, textbook and associated fees up to a maximum of $2,000 per year for four years.
Is online course work eligible for Amazon's program? Yes, if the course is from an accredited school and in an approved field of study.

[Kathianne]

Having parents that were raised during the Great Depression helped me "take a punch", not panic and get out of any hole I might fall into. Secondly, Information Technology seems to have less of the degree centric culture. If you pass a certification in a highly desirable skill set, jobs are reasonably easy to get. Once you get a good collection of references and successful projects, even the certifications don't really matter.

Today's version of a "paper route" is for a teen to diligently study Microsoft Office tutorials and find small companies that need simple solutions completed.

Very true. My son-in-law has about 2 years of university studies, mostly in history. He writes well, but doesn't want to take courses he's not interested. However, since middle school he's been self-teaching himself software design; learned hardware and can take apart and put together any computer-Mac or PC; he's designed his own photo software, because he takes professional photos. After being seriously underemployed for 5 years, my ex suggested him to one of the design firms he consults with. They gave him an 'interview', meaning, "Show us what you've got". He got the job in January. After 6 months they told him to design a program that was needed, in 3 weeks; then present it to the owners. He did and they made him permanent. He went from $60k to $75k with that.

My 3 kids, graduated without major debt. Two in 2009; one 2011. All are making between $43-55k. Not bad in this economy, but I don't see them making the jumps that the SIL did. I have to credit my ex, I think he knew the 'kid' needed a push and had the talent.