Higher education absolutely required for good job opportunities?

Question

A friend of mine is 33 and doesn't have a BA. He has to work because he needs to pay child support, so part time work is out of the question in order to receive a BA. My question essentially is can someone with 13+ work experience get a decent job at a company where he can grow, or is a BA necessary?

Answer 1

I'm not going to try to sell you something like the other jerks.

Here's my opinion for what it's worth.

I am highly educated. I got my education by working and paying for it myself. I will tell you that, "Yes, a degree opens doors." However, once in the door, all opportunities to exploit your talent are handed out by the buddy system, nepotism. etc. So, having a degree does not guarantee a successful career. I have two technical degrees and after 30 years of doing technical work that no one else could or wanted to do, I now work for former secretaries and salesmen that chummed their way into their present position.

There are other ways to "open the door" that in retrospect, I would prefer to having a degree. One way in is as an apprentice for a skilled trade. You get paid while you learn this way and when you are a journeyman, you will be qualified to open your own business if you prefer.

Another way is to get "certified" in operating computers, databases or certain kinds of equipment. You have to pay for this kind of training, but the training is not as long or as expensive as a BA.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I think another question that needs to be asked is, "What has he been doing the last 15 years since high school?". Of course he could have a good job by now, with little or no higher education, if he'd been working in a trade of some sort, or at a high-paying manufacturing plant....there are actually very many opportunities. However (and I'm going out on a limb here), by the tone of your post I can only assume that he doesn't have many marketable skills---otherwise finding a good-paying job wouldn't be a question. A person is never too old to embark on a new career, within reason. Unfortunately, MOST higher-paying careers take either a) preliminary education, b) prior work experience, or c) both a) AND b). To answer your question, it is absolutely NOT necessary to have so much as a high school diploma to make alot of money. It IS necessary, however, to have a high level of motivation. Here's an example: your friend could aquire a sales position at an automobile dealership, sell cars at a break-neck pace, and make upwards of 100K a year. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? In fact, who wouldn't want to make 100K a year (except people who already do!). The truth is, while many people COULD make that much, the vast majority aren't willing to put forth the effort to do so, and I imagine your friend is one of them.

Answer 3

It is certainly not impossible--there are plenty of financially successful people out there without college degrees--but it can be very difficult to even land an interview without the paper, depending on the industry and what sort of position your friend is going for. If he knows a lot of people, networking can be an invaluable skill--ask around, meet people, talk to people who know people. A lot of times it's who you know, not what you know. And I wouldn't count out school just yet; I work full time and I still go to school in the evenings. If your friend is willing to put in the time and effort, he can do it.