Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is a lot of things but right is not often one of them, as far as I’m concerned. However, his latest movement has piqued my respect.
Pence’s Made By Me initiative to encourage students to seek two-year programs and manufacturing jobs might not be the perfect solution to student debt and unemployment, but it’s a step in the right direction.
A few weeks ago, the Indiana Daily Student Editorial Board published a column discussing the importance of careers that did not require a college degree.
Growing up, we are told time and time again how important it is to attend college and receive a degree in order to be successful. This simply isn’t true.
There are numerous careers for which college isn’t necessary. Whether it’s an apprenticeship, service program or some other path, there are hundreds of roads to success. College is not the only option.
The brutal truth is that college is insanely expensive, and it’s likely not going to get much cheaper in the near future.
College Board reports the average cost of attending a moderate public school for an in-state resident in the 2013-14 school year was $22,826. Multiply that by four years and you’re looking at $91,304. Nearly $100,000 for four years of education.
Tuition alone reached nearly $9,000 on average for public school in-state tuition, according to the same College Board report.
No matter how you try to shake it, college is not a cheap endeavor.
Sure, that number doesn’t include scholarships or financial aid that is available to students, but the truth is not all students qualify for scholarships. Financial aid can be tricky to come by. Student loans are still loans that need to be repaid.
This is why it is important to encourage students to seek alternative options to a traditional four-year college degree.
There are students in college who have no desire to receive a higher education. They attend because they are told they have to if they want to succeed. They attend because they don’t see profitable alternatives.
That’s why I agree with Pence this time. Although the details are still slightly fuzzy because the Made By Me campaign is new, it’s encouraging to see time and money invested in skilled careers.
Pence addressing these issues will hopefully change the perception that college is necessary to have a successful life. Removing the negative connotation away from not attending college is the first step in the process.
Pence might not do many things right, but he is right with the Made By Me campaign.
