Do you guys think college is always worth it?

**myrdale** · 12-28-2008, 04:56 PM

Is college always worth it? No, not if your a professional athlete, a movie star, independently wealthy or have a terminal disease. I think it's a safe bet though that you, much like myself do not fall into any of the above catagories.

I am guessing your husband is about 35. With a minimum of 30 years to work ahead of him, I would say furthering his education is more then worth it. Assuming he can take evening classes and still work.

Of course no one can tell what the future will bring. But besides picking a job he has a passion for, I would want one that will be indemand for the next several years.

"but I am just living proof education does not always pay off." I am sorry, but No. Getting educated in a field you have no interest in persuing a career in does not pay off. I have to believe that literally hundreds if not thousands of teachers have been hired over the past 8 years in MI. I'd be knocking on every school door for 50 miles radius till my knuckles were bloodied.

You are a wife with a child on the way. If you are truely under "constant pressure" from you mom to go to nursing school, you need to put on your big girl pants and tell her to lay off. It is your life not hers.

Now, that bit about your mother and the education required aside: Are you truely interested in being a nurse?

While the RN program may be strenuous, are you could go for an LPN. I am not saying it is easy. There is a big difference in pay between them but it gets you into a professional field that you are passionate about.

Hope that helps.

**disneysteve** · 12-28-2008, 05:36 PM

Originally posted by Goldy1 View Post

I have a bacholer's degree in elem educatation since 2000. It was a total waste of 5 years of my life

it is rare to get a job in MI in teaching.

What do you mean that it is rare to get a teaching job in MI? Don't they have schools there? How do they get teachers other than hiring them from those who apply for jobs? Or do you mean that you can't get a job with just a bachelor's degree? I know many places you need a master's degree to get a teaching job.

As for your husband, I would certainly not pass up free education. That would be foolish, IMO. It can only help in the future.

**Goldy1** · 12-28-2008, 05:38 PM

you made great points esp about being interested in the job, and the decades of work ahead. I know you mean well too, but there are very few job opening in elem teaching in MI and many other states. When I got out in 2001, the situation was over 1,000 applying for one elementary opening, and it is worse now. There have been newspaper articles stating there is a teacher shortage, but it is relative ot where you live. There are some openings, but we also graduate too many teachers in part due to many teacher programs in MI and they are not competitive like nursing with select admisison. It is "open" to any shmo with a C average.

Besides I worked as a teacher's assistant for 2 years, and I don't really think teaching is for me anymore even tho I love kids.

I've worked as a trained on the job opthalmology assistant and optician for years. The pay stinks(couldn't put a kid in daycare and do it), but the job is alright.

**pearlieq** · 12-28-2008, 06:24 PM

If it's free or very cheap I wouldn't turn it down. I can think of many cases where a traditional college education may be of limited value. I don't think there's much point to getting a degree just to have one--there needs to be a decent ROI.

For most skilled craftsmen and tradesmen, I think you could make a strong argument against college.

**Goldy1** · 12-28-2008, 08:43 PM

I didn't want to turn this thread into a debate on teacher shortages (this is a finance chat)so I will stop that here, but if you are interested, here is a link to prove I am not in some altered universe where I just think I am unemployable as a teacher in MI. I posted a link of a newspaper article I read stating we need teachers in MI, and the responses from MI teacher candidates state the article is insanely inaccurate.
POST: read this article on "teacher shortage" from TODAY not 1972

**Seeker** · 12-28-2008, 11:11 PM

To attend college (or not) should always be a personal decision.

Externals (environment, time, professions, competition for jobs, $'s) will have an effect on the "worthiness" of any pursuit. But internals (ie. you, and how you feel about the "regret" your education has been, understandably since landing a job in Michigan means competing with thousands of other grads) also has an effect on the "worthiness" of a pursuit.

College can be the best thing in the world for a person, depending on that person. Or it can be the worse thing. And that's said regardless of "worth."

---

Goldy1, you need to discuss with your husband what you might want to do in the future. None of our opinions should really matter (by the way, Mom's shouldn't matter either).

If you go to college and pursue Nursing (if you don't really want to do so), then you are wasting your time and the state's money.

If "success" in a job is your measure of "worthiness" of an education, then research jobs available in your area (if you plan on staying in MI) that you'd like to perform, and pursue the education that would gain you that employment.

**sakigt** · 12-29-2008, 06:52 AM

Depends on if youre getting an education with a job it can be applied to as well as how much you are paying for it.

I make $25k a year now and after YEARS of work Im finally starting Pharmacy school in August...my dream since I was a kid. Total cost including opportunity costs = $200k Time to recoup this cost with salary increase...just over 3 years. Totally worth it.

Chasing the big money career is going to leave you discouraged and broke. Just do what you love.

**jIM_Ohio** · 12-29-2008, 07:43 AM

College is definitely worth the party. IMO you not teaching is not because of where you live, but more by the limitations we impose on ourselves (won't work for $X salary or won't travel 60 miles to work or won't do this or will not do that to get a given job). To suggest a teacher cannot find a job to me is almost laughable- every teacher I know finds a job every school year.

Your husband has a huge opportunity, IMO. CAD/CAM/CAE is booming (especially CAE) and my company targets 25% growth from our CAE product line (5% from CAD and CAM).

He can probably extend his cad cam knowledge with a little work or research. Can you move? How close is he to a degree in engineering or IT? If he has experience with CAD, and a 2 year degree in engineering or IT, I could probably point you to where job opportunities are consulting (that is what my company does). Plenty of people I work with have no degree or a two year degree. The ones without a degree had around 20-30 years of experience before joining my company (we write the CAD/CAM software).

I have a BS in Mechanical Engineering and my specialty is CAD/CAM. I went to college in Flint. I now do more PDM than CAD, but I have 2 CAD packages installed on my PC at work.

What systems is he familiar with? Is he looking to get another job or to teach?

I might have been his instructor at some point if he worked for Ford or a supplier. I know I-DEAS, UG and NX... and if he knows any of those systems getting a job now is not tough (I am e-mailed job opportunities for those softwares every month from head hunters). Key is to look outside of Michigan.

I would look to make sure he has a degree (2 year) and getting a new job in the field should be "smooth" provided he looks outside of Michigan. If his degree is IT or engineering, the CAD knowledge he has could give him a new career, if his degree is in business he could sell the software he used to operate- that is highly competitive (and highly paid).

**MoneyTrev** · 12-29-2008, 11:03 AM

College is worth it in my opinion even though i'm not at the age group, seeing all my aunts, uncles, parents go through college vs not gone through college is a huge difference.

Although my grandparents didn't go through college and only finish high school, they were successful because they had luck on their side.

**Goldy1** · 12-29-2008, 11:03 AM

Thanks Jim. My dh is 37. He was at his last auto supplier employer for 8 years (in cad cam f/t since 1992 however)with not one day of layoff. They actually made the plastic parts so I guess that kept money flowing a while. He primarily worked with Solidworks. He only has a one year certificate in cad cam. He said he went to school like a full time job for 12 months to get it in his early 20's. No engineering or IT work.

I don't understand a lot about cad cam but he claims to be fast with his work(I guess some guys are slower doing it) and he claims to "really like my job doing the work"
I don't know much about cad cam but from listening to him talk, he said he was invloved in many aspects of the design process and his work was challenging ie. cutting stuff with very very small measurements.

I have seen a few cad cam type jobs listed in the newspaper. He feels unsure if he should apply for jobs that are not specifically using the same software he used recently. For instance, if it says 3 years of CAtia preferred, he feels like he is unsure if they are willing to train him on that if he only used that a year many years ago and the newer versions are out.
Jim, do you think there are opportunities in cad cam in Mi's future? He has this idea he might get a cad cam job in MI again "outside" of automotive or in a more diversified place. He had an opportunity to go to another employer a few months before his lay off but he one of those "loyal to my employer" guys but beats being a job hopper.
The lack of raises for 8 years at his last job indicate there are possibly job security issues in cad cam.
I am unsure if he should use his possible education allowance on more cad cam. lol

**Goldy1** · 12-29-2008, 11:09 AM

ps Jim
I just peeked at my dh's resume. It looks like he has used moldworks, surfcam velocity, cadkey 99 but mainly and for the longest time Solidworks.

**zetta** · 12-29-2008, 11:41 AM

I have seen a few cad cam type jobs listed in the newspaper. He feels unsure if he should apply for jobs that are not specifically using the same software he used recently. For instance, if it says 3 years of CAtia preferred, he feels like he is unsure if they are willing to train him on that say if he only used that a year many years ago.

He should at least apply -- worst case he doesn't get an interview, but if he does he might discover that they are willing to train him on the new software. And they'll be aware of him if an opening related to his current skills comes up.

Two years training in another "in demand" field (if one appeals to him) would be good insurance policy for times when cam jobs are hard to come by.

For yourself, are you looking forward to spending some time home full time with your baby? Do you see yourself home permanently, or would you like to work once your child(ren) are in elementary school? Is the schooling opportunity something you'd have to do right now, or could you start it part-time in a year or so? I have a friend who is taking classes part-time and will get her degree about the time that her youngest starts kindergarten.

**disneysteve** · 12-29-2008, 01:06 PM

Originally posted by MoneyTrev View Post

Although my grandparents didn't go through college and only finish high school, they were successful because they had luck on their side.

The world was a different place a couple of generations ago. College degrees were much less the norm. You could get a good job and have a lifelong successful career without one. That is much harder to do today, though certainly not impossible. It depends on the field.

**kenny911** · 12-29-2008, 01:35 PM

My civil engineering degree was worth every penny. I have an easy job and make decent money. If I didn't have this degree, I would probably be making $10 hour and doing physical labor.

Do you guys think college is always worth it?