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Plumber or programmer? Trades workers close the job gap
Boilermakers, pipe fitters, electricians and plumbers are more likely to be employed than four-year college graduates.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 12 min read


Learn to plumb: New grads are competing with AI for coding jobs
College graduates are having trouble finding entry-level jobs in computer science and finance. Some blame AI.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 6, 20252 min read


Gen Z wants work to be fulfilling and flexible -- and they don't like deadlines
College students want fulfilling, flexible jobs with no deadlines and plenty of "self-care days."

Joanne Jacobs
May 25, 20252 min read


Disgruntled graduates: 36% say college was 'a waste of time and money'
College graduates are questioning the workforce value of their degrees: Half of Gen Z grads see college as a "waste of time and money."

Joanne Jacobs
May 3, 20252 min read


Is college worth it? Young males are opting out
Young Americans -- especially males -- see college as a high-cost, high-risk choice.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 28, 20252 min read


From Walmart Academy to a bachelor's degree in business
With credit for workplace training and Walmart’s tuition-assistance program, Bonnie Boop earned an online business degree, reports NPR's...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 12, 20241 min read


The rise of MEI: merit, excellence and intelligence
Will MEI -- merit, excellence and intelligence -- replace DEI?

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 18, 20242 min read


Do you want a scone with your cappucino? '24 grads are struggling to find jobs
College graduates are finding it hard to get their first professional job.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 3, 20241 min read


'Performance of Self' as a college major? No, it's not a parody
Parody or reality? Yes, these are real New York University graduates who've designed their own majors. "The Performance of Self" is my...

Joanne Jacobs
May 30, 20241 min read


Is college worth it if you have to borrow? Only 22% say 'yes'
Most Americans don't think borrowing to go to college is worth it.

Joanne Jacobs
May 30, 20242 min read


College students aren't all that smart: IQ average falls to 102
The average college student has average intelligence, concludes a meta-analysis by Canadian researchers, writes Ross Pomeroy on Big...

Joanne Jacobs
Jan 25, 20242 min read


College grads aren't baristas for life (usually)
The crisis for new college graduates is a media perennial, writes Kevin Carey in The Atlantic. "Find some recent grads working humble...

Joanne Jacobs
Dec 21, 20232 min read


Colleges add career coaches: Students say 'career success' is a priority
Colleges are adding career counselors and urging students to start career planning early, reports Hechinger's Jon Marcus. Some are...

Joanne Jacobs
Nov 25, 20232 min read


Class of '23 has high hopes -- $84,855 -- for post-college pay
Gen Z college students are clueless about the workforce, according to a survey conducted in March, writes Jaime Dunaway-Seale for Real...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 20, 20232 min read


More young people are skipping college: Is that a crisis?
A good student at a good high school, Grayson Hart "believed college was the only route to a good job, stability and a happy life," until...

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 13, 20232 min read


'Ungrading' college
Many colleges have dropped admissions tests to promote diversity and equity: Applicants who grew up with educated (or Asian) parents and...

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 7, 20222 min read


Drop college mandates for jobs before the next $400 billion bailout
Forgiving student loans -- if it survives a legal challenge -- is estimated to cost $400 billion to $500 billion or more. That means...

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 30, 20223 min read
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