Higher Level Education and its Impact on Trade Jobs

  • By: Karen Skubik
  • April 8, 2014
  • 446
                        
As many high school seniors pass through the potentially life-changing college application process it might seem like heresy to say “college isn’t the best path for everyone”. The public is invited to a panel discussion covering some of the issues involved in post-secondary options including college, vocational school, and employment at The Red Cross Chapter House on Thursday, April 17, at 7pm. The Wayne County League of Women voters is sponsoring the event titled, “ Higher Level Education and Its Impact on Trade Jobs” because according to Michelle Flory, program chair and vice-president of the local league, “ What we are hearing is, with the push to send our children to college, we are losing out on getting students to learn the trade industry”. An impressive list of panelists who will approach the topic from several angles includes: Micheal Tefs, superintendent of Wooster City Schools; Grant Cornwell, president of The College of Wooster; Don Cherry, vice-president of safety at Wooster Motor Ways; Jean Boen, High School Career Services Coordinator at The Wayne County Schools Career Center; and Dan Deckler, interim dean at The University of Akron Wayne College. Flory said the league thinks this in an important issue, “because all of us at some point in our lives will need the assistance of a tradesmen, be it a plumber, contractor, or electrician. While higher education is important, and provides us with a great deal of professionals, we also need to capture whose who may flourish in the trade industry and set them up in the right direction to pursue these jobs. “ This debate may be as old as higher education itself, but it becomes most relevant in a tough economy and tight job market. Pros and cons can be listed for any post-high school path including: tertiary education only proves you can be successful in academia, not in the real-world; work experience doesn’t necessarily provide the skills you need for future positions; college costs aren’t affordable; and from the National Bureau of Labor Statistics – education results in higher earnings and lower unemployment rates. It is an individual decision that needs to be revisited regularly as one’s path may change over time. In the words of Jean Boen from the Wayne County Schools Career Center, “We need to adopt the school of thought that attending college doesn’t always equal success for everyone. Understanding the options and planning an education path based on the student’s skill set and interests is so important.” At the Career Center, Boen said, “half of our students go to college and the other half go straight to the workforce. While some fields are flooded with applicants, others are feeling a shortage of qualified workers with a clean background. Boen shared, “I am talking with employers on a daily basis and I hear a consistent message: Drug free candidates with a good work ethic. Many employers tell me they can teach the skills that are needed, but they can’t teach work ethic and they can’t hire someone that can’t pass a drug test.” Don Cherry from Wooster Motor Ways said there is a shortage of both diesel mechanics and drivers and he doesn’t see an end to the scarcity. Cherry explained, “It is a highly regulated industry. A difficult aspect is that drivers are not permitted to drive on the interstate until they are 21….. and by the time they are old enough they have already focused on some sort of career.” When deciding between a trade school, traditional college, or other options, people often advocate one choice and put down the others, but each option has its own values. The league’s panel of esteemed speakers will help those in attendance evaluate the impact of career path decisions on both the individual and the job market at large. The Red Cross building is located at 244 W. South Street in Wooster.


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