Chapter 15 blog

I enjoyed the discussion last week about whether or not college is for everyone. According to Forbes (2013), almost half (48%) of all college graduates are working in jobs that do not require a four-year degree. We also know that student loan debt is a huge concern in the U.S. today. When students graduate with massive amounts of debt and end up working in lower paying jobs, it is almost impossible to pay back student loan debt. This is why it is so important for people to have accurate knowledge of what they can actually do with their degree and if they are pursuing the correct training/education to achieve their career goals. It saddens me to think that so many people have been misguided and misinformed about how to achieve their goals. We spent a portion of class last week discussing what it means to be successful, and to me, part of being successful means living debt free (as much as possible). There is a certain satisfaction one feels when able live free of the worries of massive debt looming above their heads. I can bet that almost all of us will have a mortgage someday, but other debt can be limited with appropriate knowledge and preparations.

The idea of financial stability often arises around the discussion of education. While college may be expensive in the short term (or long-term), the higher salaries correlated with a college education eventually weigh out. On the other hand, we must also consider the 48% of college graduates who are working in jobs that under-utilize their knowledge and skills. Here, I would question if a four-year degree was really the best option.

This discussion really ties well to this week’s assigned chapter reading. According to Brown (2012), career development programs in business organizations are designed to benefit both the employer and the employee. As part of my job as a TSS, I must attend 24 hours of training in my first six months. I also must attend weekly peer supervision as well as a mentor group during the first 90 days. While I would like to think that this is for my personal growth and development, I also believe that the company is simply implementing state law. I question whether my supervisors wholeheartedly care about my personal development. There are lots of different training options, but most of the material overlaps with what we learn here in the Master’s program.  I had the opportunity today to attend a multidisciplinary training provided through the Lancaster Children’s Alliance. I appreciated the camaraderie shared among the participants representing numerous agencies across the county. I believe that I would grow more as a professional if more multidisciplinary committees or organizations were formed. As our textbook mentioned, mentoring is a unique experience that contributes to the growth of a younger colleague (Kram, 1986, as cited in Brown, 2012). I believe that greater professional development could be achieved if more mentoring was implemented, both between and within organizations in the community.

Adams, S. (2013, May 28). Half of college grads are working jobs that don’t require a degree. Forbes.  Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com. 

Brown, D. (2012). Career development programming in business organizations. In Career Information, Career Counseling, and Career Development (10th ed., pp. 330-348). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.