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Welcome back to The Sunstone Way, and welcome back from Labor Day.
For many, Labor Day means the end of Summer. But for others, there is a more compelling milestone.
School’s back in session.
For many years, school – especially K-12 school – couldn’t start until the harvest was done. It was much more important to make sure there was sufficient food to get through winter than it was to worry about reading, writing and arithmetic. That was the case for my own parents and grandparents, who were Minnesota farmers and dairy farmers.
Modern Days
Agricultural automation has changed that paradigm, and many school districts now get a head start. Some Southern California districts were in the classroom the second week of August, and the rest – with the exception of Huntington Beach – had kindergarteners to high schoolers get at least a taste of school before the Labor Day weekend.
The same was true of area colleges and universities. Of course, the process of getting up to speed in higher education – arranging class schedules, putting financial aid packages together, finding your way around campus – is a multi-day, sometimes multi-week adventure.
I am, and always have been, a strong proponent of education. Heck, I was a teacher for three years, and my wife Laura has a doctorate in education. Learning, adding knowledge and skills, is how we become more valuable to potential employers and society at large.
Besides that, it’s fun. I get excited when I learn something new. Don’t you?
About The Money
What’s a degree worth? Obviously, it depends on the individual, and the type of degree. But some ballpark figures offer a pretty strong argument in favor of finishing school.
Studies show that the unemployment rate for those with high school diplomas is lower than those who didn’t finish high school, and on average, the graduates get paid more. It’s pretty much the case that graduating from high school is a minimum standard these days.
While there is increasing acknowledgement that college isn’t for everyone, nationwide averages still show college degrees pay off. On average, those with bachelor’s degrees earn $52,000 a year to start, nearly double what high school grads get.
Master’s degree-holders earn a bit more, and many jobs require that level of education. Those with doctorates, particularly in physics, computer science and engineering, can start at more than $100,000 in many jobs. But remember, those degrees take at least six years and often more.
Other Routes
There has been a resurgence in vocational training, starting in high school and continuing on to community college. That type of training can add great value as well, and lead to important, well-paid jobs.
We’re not talking about shade-tree mechanics here. Modern vocations can be highly technical, and skills can be very specialized. And our society would have a hard time functioning without them.
We are fortunate in the United States that we have the freedom to follow the path we find most desirable. Not that it is easy. There are obstacles – financial, societal, and more – to be overcome. But it is doable.
Learn To Think
It might seem at times that all teachers want you to do is memorize – addition, subtraction, spelling, history – especially in the earlier grades. But there is a loftier goal, from kindergarten to the most prestigious university.
School is designed to teach students to think. How can you solve this problem? Is there a better way to do that? For that matter, why are we doing it in the first place?
Knowledge – facts and ideas – is an important thing. But it requires the ability to put that knowledge to work that makes education so valuable.
Value-Added Approach
Ultimately, the goal is to contribute to society. By doing so, you help yourself as well as those around you.
Education, learning to think and learning to put your skills to work, make you a more effective individual. That’s where the great new ideas driving productivity come from. In purely economic terms, your productivity increases with learning.
Back in the day, farmers used plows pulled by horses to prepare a field for planting. Today, GPS- and computer-aided tractors create laser-straight furrows, plant seeds to specific depths and do it all in a fraction of the time.
Think the same way about a highly educated and/or trained person. Better, think of yourself as a highly educated and/or trained person. Your productivity is amazing!
But you have to go to school first to be the best you can be. After all, learning to grow is The Sunstone Way.
And remember, always be a Sunstone!
John Keisler
CEO & Managing Partner
Sunstone Management, Inc.
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©Sunstone Management, Inc. 2024