[Tammy8]

Good point, many colleges have certificate programs that prepare students for a specific job. Welding, truck driving, and mechanic programs come to mind; also programs for office clerical, preschool teaching, and non-medical care givers, and aides for elderly. We think of programs like this as trade school material, but many community colleges and even smaller University's are offering job specific education.

These programs are a blessing for students who may not have been able to pass some subjects required for a high school diploma, yet will be able to hold a decent job in a field that interests them after completion of this type of study.

[after dark]

I was reading an article on diesel mechanics. It is a lucrative career which enables people to become upwardly mobile.In some cases people become managers , in other cases they use the high salary to pay for college.The same is also true of court reporting. Most young people , yes there are exceptions, graduate from high school with a piece of paper and a bunch of bad memories. Imagine, if instead they had valuable skills which in some cases netted upwards of 40,000 dollars a year. It boggles the mind to think young people from the middle and lower classes could be financially secure.