Times change and we must change with the times. For students coming out of high school today, it is becoming more and more important that they prepare themselves to compete in a global economy.
Not too many years ago, when the baby boomer generation was entering the work place, just having a high school diploma meant having a leg up on getting a good paying job with good benefits.
At that time, most jobs were labor oriented occupations that included mining, farming, factory assembly, steel and iron works, automobile and aircraft production, lumber and lumber products, and other related industries.
But over the past twenty years or so, industry has become high tech and consumer oriented. Computers, robotic systems, automation, and other technical innovations have taken the place of physical manpower oriented jobs.
To fill high tech positions, companies are turning to a more educated and technically skilled workforce, making education and technical training a must in today's job market.
And with more and more students going to college and technical schools, the competition is greater than ever for the better paying and more stable positions offered by employers.
Higher education is the key to opening the doors of opportunity and makes it easier when trying to advance in certain job positions.
And even though a college education puts the worker in a better position to obtain employment and advance in a career, a college degree does not guarantee the job a person may think he should get just by having a degree.
Much depends on what type of degree a student gets and what jobs are available at the time he or she starts seeking employment and a lot depends on the state of the economy at that time.
But a college degree does make it easier to get certain jobs and it helps when it comes to getting promotions.
There are many variables in the job market, making it imperative that a person take the time to look at trends and be willing to change with the times.
For instance, it is already a requirement for many jobs that you must be bi-lingual. If you are able to speak a foreign language, it puts you in a very good position when it comes to applying for employment opportunities and advancing in a career, especially if the job requires you to interact with the public.
And whereas at one point, it was fairly easy to get promoted into management with a high school diploma and hard work, many companies are making it mandatory that an employee must have at least a bachelors degree to move into a managerial position.
Today, many forward thinking companies have set up tuition reimbursement and other work/study programs for employees to attend college and or technical schools while working full or part time.
Some companies even have on site college resources and online computer classes set up for employees to further their education without having to leave their work sites.
With technology comes advanced ways of thinking that help companies help themselves and give employees an easier way to grow within the framework of what the company is trying to accomplish in a steadily changing business climate.
There are still many jobs to be found that do offer financial stability and benefits such as good retirement plans, health care and other incentives.
But like everything else, those jobs are competitively sort after, so it is a good idea that you prepare yourself so that you are able to compete on a level playing field.