What Do Students Want from College? IHE article

[polly_mer]

https://insidehighered.com/views/2020/10/08/consumer-perspectives-value-higher-education-and-paradox-underneath-enrollment

"This need for relevance also shapes the nature of the increased interest in education and training. Immediate financial pressure and uncertainty about the shape of an economic recovery has led to a preference for short-term, nondegree (25 percent) or skills-training (37 percent) programs, outpacing bachelor's degree programs (16 percent) by a significant margin."

[spork]

On a per hour basis, my plumber earns more than I do, and her job can't be outsourced. A college degree has no payoff for her.

[Ruralguy]

Yes, but there can be significant competition, people can put off repairs, and repairs don't even make that much money, big contracts do.
That's not really an argument for future plumbers getting a college education, but its not as if plumbing training is a guarantee of a job either.

[marshwiggle]

Yes, but there can be significant competition, people can put off repairs, and repairs don't even make that much money, big contracts do.
That's not really an argument for future plumbers getting a college education, but its not as if plumbing training is a guarantee of a job either.

But everyone has jobs that they know a plumber could do. Everyone knows when they need a plumber. If and when a plumber's skills would be required is easy to answer, even for people who are not plumbers.