Opinion | Tom Selinske: Why We Must Change Higher Education

When I attended college, I wrote my papers on an IBM Correcting Selectric typewriter. Back then, its new auto correct feature was exciting. Today, my smartphone has the same computing power that used to fill a room of machines in the 1970s. I don’t even have spelling errors; my smart phone takes dictation! This morning, a leading job board lists 364,202 jobs in California. The number of openings for stenographers? Zero! Our learning environment has changed. Our job environment has changed. Is it time for higher education to catch up?

• Do you think many college students have excessive student debt after they graduate?
• Do you know people working in jobs below their education level?

What I see today is that our current system must do a better job of allocating resources to deliver education.

Pasadena City Council member Victor Gordo shared with me a situation about a young man who attended a culinary school. He spent many thousands of dollars for his education, but after graduating, he could only find a job paying $10.00 per hour. He was unable to repay his college debt.

That young man is not alone. Countless other young college graduates have seen their prospects dwindle in current times.

We have a crisis of confidence.

In their book, “Other Ways to Win,” Gray and Herr share their research about job needs now and in the future. They conclude that approximately 20% of future jobs will require a four-year or advanced degree, and 20% of future jobs will require no formal education. The majority (60%) of future jobs will require only a technical certificate.

What have we done? Over the last forty years, we’ve constructed an educational system and environment that says everyone must go to college – or face limited opportunities.

We need to step back and ask why.

Several factors contributed.

• Veterans returned from our wars and entered college with the assistance of the GI bill.
• We improved our admissions policies to help students from underserved communities pursue higher education driven by the civil rights movement.
• Hiring companies added a college degree as a requirement
• In the past, the economy was growing more rapidly and producing more jobs for college graduates

Again, we have a crisis.

What can we do to align our education system with the growing demands of the 21st century workforce and our current students?

We need to rethink how we deliver education. We need to align education along career pathways, to prepare students for the requirements of the job market place. Students can take technical education for high-paying jobs without a four-year degree and massive college debt.

There are alternatives to a four-year degree that will prepare young people for useful careers. Why are so many people uncertain about this?

We need to think about layering education in steps, like walking up a stairway, where one level builds upon the next. For example, a student could start on a path of becoming an electrician, which is a high-paying job now. Once attaining this career foundation, that student could continue learning to become an electrical engineer.

To build multiple pathways to success, we must think differently about education. Pasadena City College can lead the way.

• Increase dual enrollment
This means that high school students would have access to college classes taught in their school. They would earn both high school and college credits from the same class.
• Improve the counseling system
We need to help students discover their interests and natural abilities. Then build a path of study that meets their needs. In other words, deliver personalized education.
• Provide the classes students need
We can improve scheduling and create an effective mix of online and in-person classes.
• Help teachers keep learning

In a rapidly changing technological environment, they need to keep their skills at top levels.

These are a few ideas for tackling the crisis we face. I want to help students find better jobs. I want to help our businesses find better employees. Together, we can be ready for tomorrow — today. With your help, we can make the change.

Tom

 

Tom Selinske is running for Trustee at Pasadena City College, where he hopes to implement the ideas described above. Selinske served eight years on the School Board of the Pasadena Unified School District.