A significant part of the problem is that “guidance counselors” very frequently have no idea what careers are available outside of a traditional college that can earn significantly better than what they make with their masters degree. I’ve ran into several that actually look down upon skilled trades, and regard them as an option only for those that can’t get into college.
I am an example of someone who could have gone to almost any college I wanted to. I was actually accepted into, and attended a year at a current top 25 engineering college (and I was invited to recruiting events at current #1, and was in competition for scholarships at others) I decided to go there as an engineering major, because they had a very specialized program not available anywhere else as an undergraduate, and only offered as a concentration or graduate degree at a handful of universities in the country at the time) I received an academic scholarship, and was in an honors program, after having graduated high school a year early. I was a sophomore there after one semester, and I still wasn’t old enough to vote.
But, I left school for a couple of personal reasons and learned more about working and what I really wanted to do with my life outside of school and, decided to turn my passion for firefighting into a career. The pay was similar to a non-engineering degree to begin with ($30k base almost 20 years ago, $46k to start to $90k top without promoting now) However, through a lot of additional training (some college based and almost all college accredited but taught by other folks who had spent their lives working, not teaching) and several competitive promotions, I make just over ATOT minimum wage ($100,000) as a base salary, with some room to get to $120k base in next couple years. Plus, the option to make significantly more if I work OT. I have averaged an additional 35-50% extra every year putting me on pace to make $150-160k this year, as I’m in a particularly specialized area that needs coverage 24/7 and only 2-3% of the folks in my agency are qualified to do what I do. And I’ll be eligible to retire next summer at 41 years old, making $50k/year (going to about $80k if I stay until 51) for the rest of my life, plus 75-80% of my healthcare paid for until I hit Medicare, then supplemental coverage.
Considering that the above is without student loans, I consider myself pretty financially successful. Could I have made more if I stayed in engineering and put the same effort into working my way up? Absolutely, but I would not have had the same passion for what I do, nor the experiences I’ve had being a firefighter, then paramedic, instructor, etc. I’ve literally met folks whose lives I’ve saved, and received a few awards along the way for making folks undead.... I mean successfully bringing back folks whose heart stopped at home.
But, when I have volunteered to come to my daughter’s school for career day, I was declined by a “guidance counselor” so she could have someone present “with an actual career.” I laughed and asked if she was serious.... she was. I politely explained that it was indeed a career that paid well, with excellent benefits, and she was dumbfounded but couldn’t get past her own ingrained attitude that college was a must, and I didn’t fit that. Despite the fact I was adjunct faculty for the same respected state university I’d attended many years prior, and through that university I also was per diem instructor in two different county school VoTech programs, including the same system she worked for. Interestingly, when my sister who teaches in the same system with a masters degree equivalent recommends me to come into her school for a career day or STEM fair judge, I’m generally extremely well received and asked to come back again. I don’t know if she vouches for me having an actual career, or just mentions I make twice what she does after almost the exact same time at our jobs, once you account for my OT. And they were far from the only guidance counselor I’ve had negative experience with regarding my “career” while interacting with them while working in the school VoTech system. They consider VoTech to be where you put kids that won’t get into college, and the firefighting program as a lower tier choice even among that.
Off my soapbox now....