As an alternative qualification, Maryland will seek “Stars” (through alternative craft pathways) – “Those 25 years of age or older, in the active workforce, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and have developed their skills in alternative ways “” Internships, military service, camps and often workplace “.
Unsurprisingly, STAR categorization can provide the greatest opportunities for Blacks, Latinos, immigrants, and veterans. It will make a country fairer, but without depriving those who deserve the place they deserve. Note that nearly two-thirds of Americans do not have a four-year degree, so this reform could also make the government more representative and less prone to mistrust and resentment.
Most of the reclassified studies concern management, customer service, and information technology. These are all areas where people can excel without four years of college experience. For example, military service can often be a better background. The new policy will also benefit anyone who is highly intelligent but doesn’t appreciate the college experience or has a disability that makes it difficult or unpleasant to attend college.
Not long ago, very few American jobs, including leadership positions, required a college degree. My father ran one of America’s largest chambers of commerce in the 1970s and he hadn’t even started college, let alone graduating. He was extremely rebellious and lacked the right patience, yet he had the skills of the people that made him a good leader and financier.
Today, a candidate comparable to a job probably won’t get a review. Above all, it hurts talented young people who don’t have a perfect past, a group that needs more attention.
It is often argued that there is a problem with a job applicant without a degree. This is why many knowledgeable people rush to get a degree, which makes it a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy, but it’s still a pretty useless practice. America needs to step back from this compelling “arms race”. There is no point in falling into an economy where so many bartenders and taxi drivers have degrees.
Unfortunately, certification requirements are on the rise. A four-year degree is required first, then a master’s degree or at least preferred, possibly an MBA is required. As a person who has lived in academia, I can assure you that PhD students can give meaningless advice and academics are by no means effective managers or staff. Unfortunately, when it comes to reliability and lasting quality, I find the nonprofit sector to be at its worst in the absence of relatively objective profit and loss measures.
On average, higher education is likely associated with better job performance, but there are many exceptions. If the US public is to increase opportunities for all, it needs to work harder to discover these exceptions and act on this information. In a world with so much information and so many different forms of certification available, there are many better ways to evaluate a candidate than by asking a binary question if she has a four-year degree.
This step against accreditation is even more necessary due to the growth of technology. Many prominent names in the tech or crypto space have been abandoned and have no degrees. Of course, these aren’t people the Maryland state government can push. But there are many people who work technologically for low wages and don’t invest much in formal trustees, partly because they don’t see their professional relevance. For many technical jobs, a personal GitHub page is much more important.
Hogan’s reform is also an opportunity for the US government to gain a first-round advantage and shine as a political entrepreneur. Only 38,000 people work in Maryland and this dictation is likely to apply to only half of all jobs. But every social movement has to start somewhere. Perhaps the idea would later spread to Missouri, where neither the governor nor the deputy governor had a four-year degree.
Regarding Bloomberg’s opinion:
• The cost of education is not measured by income alone: Noah Smith
• Lack of clients in American universities: Matthew Iglesias
• College admission should not be entrusted to one person: Katie Onili
This column does not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Tyler Cowen is a commentator for Bloomberg Opinion. He is a professor of economics at George Mason University and a writer for the blog Marginal Revolution. His books include “Big Business: A Love Letter to an American Anti-Hero”.
Source: Washington Post
Jason Jack is an experienced technology journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in computer science and engineering, he has a deep understanding of the latest technology trends and developments. He writes about a wide range of technology topics, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, software development, and cybersecurity.