My daughter spoke to a manager at Walmart. She could get a two year degree in Business Management or Accounting, while working summers and weekends at Walmart. She could then start working full-time "on the floor". Within three years she'd have a management position in the $30k range. No student loans. No hassle. Actual work experience. The opportunity for advancement, especially if she took one or two classes every semester while working full time (paying as she goes) and fluffed up her resume. The same could be said for Lowes, Home Depot, etc. She sees opportunity everywhere. She's not a stupid girl.
That is the way it should be. If I had a penny for every time my dad told me, "if you don't work for it; you won't appreciate it..." I could have retired as a young man. Seems a lesson overlooked by modern academia.