Rubio: Modernize Higher Education

He's wrong about one thing, the market for Greek Philosophy was actually rather lively around the end of the Dark Ages.:yeah:

UPDATE: Rubio calls for modernized economy, higher education

 

Here's an update on Rubio's position

Marco Rubio Declares War on College Education | Alan Singer

 

I didn't see anything very terrible in the link in the OP.

Rubio said that kids shouldn't be "shamed" into attending four year university programs when many might be better off studying vocational subjects in two year and similar programs.

And he said that prospective students need to decide whether it's worth it to go $50,000 into debt in order to major in "Greek philosophy". Plenty of people have said the same thing right here on Degreeinfo when they launch their "want fries with that?" jibes.

I'm a former philosophy major but graduated with no debt. I would have thought twice if I had to accumulate serious debt to do it.

 

Oh, I think we know that he said more than that.

 

Most recent Rubio positions on education.

 

I don't think anyone's saying that liberal arts subjects are unworthy of study. But realistically, getting a job that does something with that liberal arts degree is going to be a tough sell.

 

Rubio is floundering around a subject--tertiary job preparation--that could be addressed in a cogent manner. Except, of course, he doesn't have anyone on his team to do that, so he spouts some half-baked nonsense anyway.

What Rubio is implying is that we don't need everyone to go to university. No kidding. But what he doesn't propose is what is needed: a strong national qualifications framework (NQF) that accommodates tertiary learning and certification in non-collegiate settings--processes that are not necessarily university-based and do not lead to college degrees. Rather, they would lead to recognized vocational and occupational qualifications that, in turn, employers could rely upon when considering applicants for jobs and promotions.

Give me a call, Marco.

 

I'm not a big fan of Rubio, but I think that makes a lot of sense. You'll likely never get rich being an electrician or plumber, but you can make a decent living and raise a family, provided you work hard and make good life choices.

My dad's best friend (WWII Navy Vet) used the GI Bill to go to electrician's school, apprenticed until he got his master electrician license, then opened his own business. He made a fortune by focusing on banks and other commercial buildings, and was a multi-millionaire several times over when he retired and sold the business.

Definitely not the norm, but it goes to show that you don't need a college degree to become successful.