Find Your Own Education by Cassidy

Find Your Own Education by Cassidy - July 2022 Scholarship Essay

Education is an integral part in success for everyone. However, “education” looks different for each individual. College is not the only form of education and is not always the answer. Some people may choose to pursue other types of education including trade schools, jobs, international travels, or just decide to gain life experience. Each person must find what works for them. Also, there is not a specific timeline or path that any person should feel they HAVE to follow. There are times when family and social pressures may be so great that a certain path feels like it is the only path, but each person must choose and navigate a path for themselves.

Our society puts so much weight on having a college degree that many feel it is the only path they can take to find jobs, even though so many people are not working in a field related to their degree. Companies often post an “entry-level” job that requires little-to-no experience but then will dismiss candidates that do not have experience. Alternatively, companies will post jobs requiring a college degree, but may overlook potential candidates with lots of hands-on experience. There is also a societal stigma that you must have a college degree to be successful in life. However, there are countless individuals without degrees that are incredibly successful.

Over the course of the next ten years, I hope that our society recognizes the different types of education and puts more focus and value on non-college alternatives. We need trained tradespeople in all industries and those numbers are declining. Younger generations need to see the successes of plumbers, electricians, or mechanics, to name a few, and learn how important those skills are.

I also hope to see increased access to all forms of post-secondary education. Many individuals are unable to attend college or trade school due to financial limitations. There are many scholarships available, but high school students do not know about them or know where to find them. By educating high school students and their parents about the opportunities that are available to them, many may find a passion for something they did not know was out there. It is also important to expose students to a wide variety of careers and post-secondary opportunities. So much of high school is spent hyper-focused on academics and geared toward going to college. I would like to see more exposure to community members who work in a trade and run their own businesses or from people who changed career paths after finding different passions. Rather than spending so much time testing academic performance over and over, work with students to help identify and spark new skills and passions.

High school students are so pressured by schools and society to go to college and are made to feel like a failure or a lesser member of society if they do not choose that path. Finding the right type of education is important and I hope to see more support and facilitation in the future to allow people to find and follow their passions and turn those into successful ventures.