by Geoff Yoshida

Created on: August 05, 2008

Even though I wasted my high school years, I always took it for granted that I would go on to University. The plan had been to continue further into law school or at least into a Masters program because a B.A. did not automatically open the doors to a middle class lifestyle. The wisdom of this plan was built on horror stories like the univerity grad who was working as a cashier in a grocery store because she couldn't get a job with an art's degree.

Sure, there was propoganda from the University that people with good, general backgrounds in the arts were regarded quite highly by upper management in the business world because they
were above the worker bees and could see the big picture. They could also make interesting conversation. But the reality was that an arts grad did not have any real business skills and that CEO's never talked with entry level employees.

The lack of learning any real job skills did not discourage me from going to University and graduating with a degree in Sociology. In fact, I warmly embraced the whole milieu and felt fortunate to hear all the professors lecture about subjects I hardly knew. When the topic of the value of pursuing an arts degree came up, I rationalized, quite rightly I think, that Universities were never built to train undergrads in real world skills but to train them to fill jobs in academia. And to do research of course.

But now, after having given up any hope of securing a middle class job, I can say with all honesty that there are jobs out there for university graduates. With my degree in Sociology, I could have apply for jobs that required statistical knowledge working for the government or an opinion research company. I could also apply for a job as an insurance adjuster, not because I had any particular job skills in this field but because I stood taller with a degree in hand and deserved a better job. To their credit, my alma matar has developed a mentor program where former grads help undergrads see how their degrees can be put to use in finding that first job.

I went to University thirty years ago when tuition was still quite affordable. But at today's cost, it may be hard to justify getting a general arts degree that will still no doubt have less commercial value than we once believed. Nevertheless, I stand behind my words that going to university can be a life changing experience. I wish the youth all the best when looking at the cost of post secondary education because the years you attend at a post secondary institution will probably be the best years of your life. Everything will seem possible.

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