This AP story on community colleges really caught my attention. In a time of rising unemployment and the potential collapse of the auto industry, this is the money quote:
For students, that's because of the economy, which is boosting interest in two-year schools as a cheaper starting point for a bachelor's degree. They're also the place for job retraining, with unemployment at a 14-year high of 6.5 percent. A community colleges group estimates enrollment is up about 8 percent this fall.
When I was laid off at the textile mill it was under the NAFTA provision that allowed workers to retrain on the governments dime at a trade school or local community college for up to 18 months (later extended to 24).
I will try not to ramble too much here as it is a pretty broad discussion, I would like to focus on the two groups that will make up the upcoming community college student body.
The first group is transfer students. With tuition costs rising and wages declining, more middle-class students will take their first two years at a community college (total cost around $5,000) and their next two years at a 4-year institution (double the cost for a public school, triple or more for a private or out-of-state school).
Now, let me just say that community colleges sometimes get a bad rap, but let me tell you it is not an easy ride. I have taken many courses at that level that are just as challenging as 4-year courses. But there is a level of drop-off, and an influx of these students could lead to some grade devaluation as they crash the curve.
The second group is my primary focus. These are laid-off workers who get a weekly check from the government to attend school. They view school as their job and generally work harder on passing individual courses without looking toward the future, which they assume will place them back into a labor-intensive job rather than a place of higher education.
Our focus should be on this second group. When I was laid off, nearly every course I took included former co-workers. By the end of the two years, less than 1/4 made it through. Most dropped out to take a lesser paying job, others went to trade school, some retired, and some just died.
So let's assume the auto industry goes bust. We are talking about millions in this second group now competing against even better educated students than they were in the past. While I think this to be a worst case scenario, here are a few ideas:
First, there should be one year of paid remedial classes (and by paid I mean a weekly check on top of free tuituion) before beginning community college. This will be heavy on English, basic Math, and computer literacy. Under the current system, those who need remedial services must take them under the two-year window, leaving them with only twelve months of paid school.
Second, all of these displaced workers MUST keep some type of health care during the educational process. Automatic entry into Medicaid is the easiest solution. We are talking about a system where a bad case of the flu can derail an education.
Third, for the workers who excel enough to be accepted to a 4-year school, we should continue to pay their ride for that as well. This will provide incentive to do well at the community college and help curb degree devaluation as an influx of two-year diplomas flood the labor force.
Fourth, we should offer assistance to community colleges that offer training in green technology: solar, wind, automotive conversion, etc. These are the jobs of the future and those who do not move on to secondary education would be better equipped to adapt to their new occupation.
Finally, I firmly believe that a better educated workforce is good for all of us. There are a lot of very bright people with good ideas out there stuck in factory jobs because of location or lack of opportunity. Einstein, you may recall, was a patent clerk.
Personally, I am one course away from a Bachelor of Science degree from St John's University. To get here, however, I moved from a three-bedroom brick house to a mobile home. I had a great support system of friends and family to get me through the tough times. Oh, and I am about $60,000 in student loan debt.
I am the exception to the rule, but that doesn't have to be the case. Even of the auto industry doesn't fail (and I hope upon hope that it doesn't), there will be many jobs lost with few jobs to be found. We need to be ready, and education is a good start.