The Job Market and Going Back to School
I’ve shared about my college experience on here before. In 2007, I received my Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, and tried to find a job. If you remember, that’s about the same time that the economy went south. After 5 months of trying to find a job, I made the decision to go back for my Master’s Degree in Communication Studies. As a result, I did get into more debt, but I also found a job more easily. Now, I’m at a crossroads again. I’m considering a career change. And in that, I’m starting to take classes for a certificate.
Why am I telling you this? Simple. Because I know I’m not the only one doing this. Lots of people are going back to school, and as a result, more people are getting jobs. Did you know that, this month, unemployment is that the lowest that it’s been in 3 and a half years?
We’re finally getting to a point where there are as many jobs as there are people looking for them. Wait a minute… if that were the case, then why are there still people unemployed?
The answer is simple, really. The wrong kinds of jobs are available.
Every time that I look on websites and in the paper for an extra job to supplement my income, I find tons of them. But, I’m not qualified for any of them. The majority of jobs available require specific training and/or specific degrees. Oh wait, you want me to have 2-3 years of experience too? That’d be no problem, if I was able to get a job in that field in the first place.
This is why I’m considering going back to school, and a lot of professionals who are watching the job market agree with me. If you can get the financial aid and/or can simply afford to go back to school and get a degree or training in a field that has a lot of jobs. Information Technology (IT), nursing and other medical fields, and social services fields are all looking for professionals to join their ranks, but no one has the training to do these things.
Community colleges are thriving right now. Why? Look at the jobs I just listed; many of those jobs require nothing more than a two year degree. What do most community colleges offer for significantly less than their university counterparts? Two year degrees. Now, some of the jobs available prefer a four-year degree, but in general, two years and you’ve got the training you need in order to get a job that may be easier to live off of.
But what if you already have a job, like me? What if you have a family? Many colleges are starting to offer programs that are tailored for people in these situations. The program that I’m starting is part-time and online. I only have to go to a classroom for two days each semester. And my program isn’t unique in that way; many colleges are striving to reach adult learners who may otherwise not be able to pull it off.
If you’ve been thinking about returning to school, now may be the time to do so. Talk about it with your family and your employer (if you have one) and figure out if this is the best path for you to take. Until next time, spend smart, save smart!
