Occupy Wall Street

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

What do you consider "under-educated and under-skilled?" I'm not being a smart-ass--I just wonder if I'm in some sort of bubble.

DP can correct me if I'm wrong, but national stats show that under 40% of Americans have a degree, and trade/vocational school entrance rates have stagnated or declined recently as well. The largest portion of the workforce is in unskilled/service/blue-collar jobs as well.

It's not a stretch to say the 50th percentile American has no degree or trade skills, and little to no job experience in a "skilled" profession (or anything other than unskilled/service jobs).

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

DP can correct me if I'm wrong, but national stats show that under 40% of Americans have a degree, and trade/vocational school entrance rates have stagnated or declined recently as well. The largest portion of the workforce is in unskilled/service/blue-collar jobs as well.

It's not a stretch to say the 50th percentile American has no degree or trade skills, and little to no job experience in a "skilled" profession (or anything other than unskilled/service jobs).

Exactly.

Munchkin03, there was nothing smartass about your post. LOL.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

DP can correct me if I'm wrong, but national stats show that under 40% of Americans have a degree, and trade/vocational school entrance rates have stagnated or declined recently as well. The largest portion of the workforce is in unskilled/service/blue-collar jobs as well.

It's not a stretch to say the 50th percentile American has no degree or trade skills, and little to no job experience in a "skilled" profession (or anything other than unskilled/service jobs).

I think it's even lower--something around 27% of the general population has a 4-year college degree? Since most jobs don't require a college degree or more than a few semesters of technical training, is it fair to call those people "under-educated?" When I hear that term, I typically think of people who didn't finish HS.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I think it's even lower--something around 27% of the general population has a 4-year college degree? Since most jobs don't require a college degree or more than a few semesters of technical training, is it fair to call those people "under-educated?" When I hear that term, I typically think of people who didn't finish HS.

Yes, if people continue to expect more than high school diploma-GED-level jobs and low income.

At the aggregate, true socioeconomic mobility has requirements.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I think it's even lower--something around 27% of the general population has a 4-year college degree? Since most jobs don't require a college degree or more than a few semesters of technical training, is it fair to call those people "under-educated?" When I hear that term, I typically think of people who didn't finish HS.

Obviously, "under-educated" isn't a technical term or anything (although it goes without saying that nearly 50% of people are of below-average education) ... but "education" isn't just schooling, it includes trade work and knowledge of a skilled trade or field, too.

I'd consider a HS dropout who is a plumbing tradesman to be, on the whole, ahead of the average HS graduate in terms of applicable jobs "education", wouldn't you?

Let's not limit education to schooling.