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The need for a college degree has changed over the years. To be successful you use to only need a high school diploma. Now, some places won't give you a second glance if you don't have a bachelor's degree. But where does a degree really get you in this economy?
Graduating college students are working their "summer jobs" all year round due to the lack of job openings. You spend tens-of-thousands of dollars on a college education and then struggle to find a job within your degree. Is it really worth it? Ten years ago a college degree almost guaranteed you a job. That is not the case anymore.
With no job openings, whether you have a college degree or not, won't really matter. In a big city like Chicago or New York a degree in business, finance, accounting, etc. is probably still significant. But unless you are willing to uproot your life and move for a job you are more likely to take a job that has nothing to with your degree.
When the economy is up and running most employers only want somebody who has a college degree. In some fields I think it is more important to have experience and knowledge over a college degree. It bothers me that some people think anybody without a college degree is worthless and they must have a job anybody could do.
My dad is probably the most accomplished person I know and has a mind that can figure out almost any problem. He is great at mechanics, carpentry, designing metal fabrication from scratch and bringing it to life, and many other things; you name and he can probably make it for you. Neither of my parents have college degrees. My dad doesn't even have a high school diploma. So statistically speaking they should be deadbeats flipping burgers. But they're not.
My parents and their business partners have started and run a successful business without college degrees, and trust me not everybody could do what they do. In fact, I don't think most college educated people could walk in and figure out the stuff they do.
There are a lot of businesses right now firing employee who don't have a college degree. What for? They obviously did their job before the employer decided to require a degree. But now they have suddenly decided the person isn't good enough based solely on a piece of paper? That's crazy.
I'm not bashing college degrees. Why would I? I have one. I'm simply saying college degrees are not always necessary, especially in times like these. But more than that, I'm sick of people thinking not having a college degree makes you worthless.
Most people's grandparents never went to college. Did they sit on their butts all day and never make anything of themselves? No. They did everything they could to make it work, which often meant being entrepreneurs. Granted there are a lot of people who don't have degrees that don't do anything with their lives. But there are a ton of American made businesses that have been started by non-college educated people. Without their businesses the college educated people wouldn't have jobs. So I think it's time to thank the successful non-degree entrepreneurs for employing others and displaying a work ethic that others can learn from.