The Impact of Globalization

I'm putting on a seminar for some local high schoolers.

They want me to talk about "Why stay in school".

I'm a bit bored by the "get an extra degree and you'll earn X dollars more" though that tends to be true.

So I started bringing in some issues of globalization to spur the desire to learn.

I think here in the US globalization is taking away even the bottom rung jobs (like receptionists even or drive thru order takers) and folks will have to become entrepreneurial to survive and thrive.

"We" know that.

I'm afraid most kids (and their teachers) don't.

Here's the article at the link below. I'm slapping my head because I didn't mention entrepreneurship along with learning. Oh well, I guess that means I'll have to write part 2.

I submitted this "non exclusive" and they still paid what I thought was nice since I'd have written the article anyway!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...he_impact.html

I'm still working on the seminar.

What would you tell high school kids (or your kids) about preparing for tomorrow's economy? I'll check back to see your comments!

Chuck,

Thanks for asking.

Contrary to the repeated-without-thought "get a degree" stuff, I would advise Against such an action - unless you specifically want to be a Doctor or something like that.

It would be better (less costly and provide more Options) to avoid Uni and get a job. To even get Tickets - forklift driver, scaffolder, rigger, dogman, crane driver, excavator operator, front end loader, backhoe, bobcat, truck license. These can be obtained Quicker than a degree and for Much less money. While the Jobs you can do with such Tickets often Pay More than jobs requiring a degree. And with such a variety of Tickets you have Tremendous Options for employment, while a degree limits you to the area of study.

E.g. I know a Dogman. He gets paid $27 an hour - $56k a year. I know other Laborers who make $75k+ a year. Another guy I know... his wife with a degree gets $40k per year.

Besides that... the sooner you are making money the sooner you will have money to invest. And the less Student Debt you will have.

The world is already full of people with degrees working behind the Make Up counter or Serving Drinks because they couldn't get anything with their degree, without encouraging more of it.

Funny. Last week I was speaking to a Solid Plasterer - renderer. He has 2 degrees. Couldn't get a job with 1 degree so got the additional one to make him more valuable. Still couldn't land a job so got a job as a Solid Plaster Laborer (no degree or quals needed). Now he owns his own business and makes $2k - $3k a week.

Of my Group at Uni, four of us left after one year. All of us who left now make top 12% of incomes in the country and at least 50% more per year than the highest paid of those who stayed.

The world is Full of Super Successful people who had little schooling - such as Ford, et al.

With Job Security a myth, that should Also be told to those students. That the Truth is, students will likely be changing jobs 3 or 4 times a year, yearly or every few years. Seems pointless to spend all that time and money to get a degree which won't give you all the things you thought it would, and better to invest your time and money in other areas.

Why stay in school in deed? I cannot think of a valid reason other than if you want to be a Doctor or something similar.

Michael Ross

Hi Chuck, You write well. The best part is where you said… The reality of globalization is that "Dumb people are a dime a dozen."

I would also tell them that there are over 4 Billion People on the planet today who earn less than $2 per hour. Those people are hungry. That hunger will drive them to learn more so they can earn more. That hunger will push them to do work that you consider beneath you. They will work their way up the economic ladder because they are hungry and have a burning desire to escape to a better life. That hunger makes them willing to study, learn and work harder for less pay than you will and if you don’t pay attention they are going to slowly but surely make themselves so valuable to potential employers that you won’t even be able to get a job picking tomatoes.

I would tell them that life is hard and it’s even harder if you are stupid. I would tell them if they goof off now the world will boss them around for the rest of their lives. But if they discipline themselves now to be the best that they can be they can be boss.

But by disciplined I don’t mean... go to school just for the sake of getting a degree. There is nothing wrong with driving a truck or changing bedpans if that’s what one chooses to do.

Michael Ross made a valid point.. “ The world is Full of Super Successful people who had little schooling - such as Ford, et al. With Job Security a myth, that should Also be told to those students. That the Truth is, students will likely be changing jobs 3 or 4 times a year, yearly or every few years. Seems pointless to spend all that time and money to get a degree which won't give you all the things you thought it would, and better to invest your time and money in other areas."

I agree. But Ford was smart, he learned and moved fast and became a boss over many others. Not everyone can be as smart as Ford no matter how hard they try. Some people will remain losers because they are not as bright as others and lack the will to develop good habits. The habits that will make them or break them.

Wouldn’t you rather be like Ford or do you prefer to forever be ordered around by a boss?

Right now, you are soft, lazy and stupid if you think you can get by on minimal efforts.

Do you think Ford took it easy? No way… he was smart and worked his tail off.

The more you sweat in the Dojo… The less you will bleed on the streets.

Take it easy now and life is getting to kick you hard.

In the future it won’t be the strongest or even the smartest that do the best.

It will be those who have developed the ability to learn and move the quickest.

As technology changes you need to adapt. If you can’t adapt fast enough because you choose to remain soft, lazy and dumb you will go the way the dinosaurs did and it won’t be very pleasant for you.

Every day somewhere in Africa a lion wakes up. And that lion knows that he is going to have to get up and run faster than the antelopes if he wants to eat. At the same time the Antelope wake up and they know they have to run faster than the lions or else. It doesn’t matter who you are. If you don’t get up off your duff and move like your life depends on it – one day you’ll be in for a very rude awakening and by then somebody else will eat you alive and own your hide.

Sorry but it is a fact that people are more motivated by fear of loss than anything else. As long as the kids feel safe and comfortable they will just take it easy except for a few smart go getters.

Keep up the good work Chuck. I think you have a lot of empathy for people. That is a good thing for evil arises out of an inability to feel empathy. To look from another’s perspective and feel their plight. If one has an inability to feel empathy for others they are quick to assume they are smarter and better than others and they think that gives them license to pass judgment.

Cheers,

Steve Shulenski
www.MaverickPhotographer.com

Steve,

Thanks for jogging my brain.

In addition, students/people need...

A Good work ethic and
The ability to Manage their money

Michael Ross

Michael,

Actually if you read the article, I think we're in agreement on a few points.

I focused on entrepreneurship in the second piece and suggested experience starting a business in that one.

But another misconception you have is that staying in school means a degree. It doesn't... I'm also thinking of skills training too. I'll bet even the plaster guy had "on the job training" don't you think?

I agree with you and don't think that "any old degree" will cut it anymore. Most are worthless or simply hurdles to get in where the "action is".

Skill building is the key. Usually "paper" helps you market your skill. At least it does in the US where contractors who formerly had no "tests" to pass are having to pass state licensing tests now and "studying" for that... in "schools" and "on the job training".

I wonder if you ever work with any young people on a regular basis to know how they give themselves an easy way out by assuming that they can stay dumb and unskilled?

I'll plead guilty to scare mongering... I do want to wake some of these kids up!

Chuck Huckaby
Not making money online? Try this...