Research + News | Topic: Career

Stop Asking Kids What They Want To Be When They Grow Up

The question forces children to define themselves in terms of work. Read the article here.

What Do Young Americans Really Think About Trade School?

There has been a gradual decline over the past few years in students enrolling in occupational education programs, trade schools, and apprenticeships. Read the article here.

Higher Income May Prove Elusive For Many College Grads

Many college graduates with a four-year degree find themselves struggling to earn enough money to achieve their version of the American dream. Read the article here.

The Stigma Of Choosing Trade School Over College

When college is held up as the one true path to success, parents—especially highly educated ones—might worry when their children opt for vocational school instead. Read the article here.

How I Helped My Kids Decide What To Do After High School

Growing Leaders president Tim Elmore provides a summary of what he and his wife did to prepare their kids for their post-secondary experience. Read his blog post here.

3 Reasons That Career And Technical Education Doesn’t Preclude College

Confronting some misconceptions about future learners.

Read the full article here.

Teens Turn To Trades To Turn A Dollar

Today’s trend-setting teens are ditching the debt load of a four-year college degree in favor of learning trades and earning technical degrees. Read the article here.

The Return Of The Classic Apprenticeship

Tim Elmore blogs that he’s happy to see apprenticeships making a comeback, but what do they look like in today’s workplace environment? Read the blog post here.

Mis-Educating The Young

In this article for the New York Times, David Brooks says, “People in their 20s seem to be compelled to bounce around more, popping up here and there, quantumlike, with different jobs, living arrangements and partners while hoping that all these diverse experiences magically add up to something.”

Read the rest of the article here.

High Cost Of Education Limits Career Choices For Millennials

We’ve all seen the staggering student loan debt statistics: It averages more than $20,000 and 69% of Millennials have student loan debt, according to the Federal Reserve of New York. What the numbers don’t tell us is what is going on in Millennials’ minds before they take on this debt.

Read the rest of the article here.