You can be anti-college and pro-education. ...

Industry Trends - Skilled trade jobs are gaining popularity among Gen Z due to stability and avoiding major debt [2] - Social media significantly influences Gen Z's interest in trade jobs, surpassing teachers, siblings, and extended family [9][10] - Trade school enrollment is rising as Gen Z seeks job security and essential roles, influenced by concerns about traditional college costs and AI threats [4][5] Labor Market Dynamics - There is a high demand for skilled workers, with millions of unfilled trade jobs [6] - The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates roughly 500,000 open manufacturing jobs [6] - Some estimates project unfilled trade jobs to exceed 2 million by 2033 [6] Impact of Technology - Experts believe AI could benefit the trades by automating undesirable tasks [8] Gen Z Perspective - Gen Z desires hands-on work and avoids office or cubicle environments [7] - Gen Z uses social media to inspire others to pursue trade careers and demonstrate the potential for a good living without a college degree [3][10] - The number of people ages 17 to 21 with two-year vocational degrees has doubled since 2000, reaching its highest level in over three decades [5]

Why College Freshmen Should Start Searching For Internships Early https://t.co/HPKLs84vCq ...

[Applause] Hi. Do you recognize this? How about this? This is my personal game of choice. Um, and just looking at that and thinking about, well, that might be fun to pull out my phone and start playing that game right now. It's called fish stuff. It's kind of mentally relaxing for me. But I like think about all the time that I have spent on my phone playing games, doing word, playing. It makes me wonder all the time that I have lost. And it makes me wonder about what I might have been accomplishing at that ...

Pell Grant Dependency - Large colleges receive the most Pell Grant funding overall [1] - A surprising number of small colleges are the most reliant on Pell Grant money [1]

Core Argument - Pursuing dreams provides a sense of purpose and drive, leading to satisfaction that outweighs monetary costs [9][10] - While chasing dreams is valuable, it should be done reasonably with a backup plan to mitigate potential failures [13][14] - Even unsuccessful attempts to achieve dreams offer learning experiences, and success makes the struggles worthwhile [15] - The biggest cost of not pursuing dreams may be regret [16] Financial Considerations - College tuition in America averages around $10,000 per year, with similar costs for room and board [4] - Student loans are a common way to finance education, but can lead to long-term debt, averaging 20 years for repayment and up to 45 years for some professionals [5] - Financial mistakes made at a young age can have lifelong consequences [6] Time Investment - Achieving dreams, such as becoming a medical doctor, requires significant time investment, including years of schooling and training [7] - Effective time management is crucial for balancing dream pursuit with other aspects of life [8] Personal Development - Chasing dreams requires stepping out of one's comfort zone and embracing the risk of failure [17] - A backup plan is essential to cushion the impact of potential setbacks [14]