You don't need college degree to get good job

By Laura Raines
Cox News Service

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

What does it take to succeed in today's job market? If you guessed a college degree, you'd be only 20.1 percent right. That's the percentage of jobs in Georgia that will require a bachelor's or higher degree by 2012, according to the Georgia Workforce Trends in Brief report, published by the Georgia Department of Labor. Eight percent — the fastest-growing sector of the jobs market — will require some postsecondary education. The remaining 71.8 percent — the majority of which are low-skilled, low-paying jobs — will require no formal education beyond high school.

"The same worker who operated a factory machine in 1975 would most likely be overseeing 10 to 12 machines today operated by robotics. He would require programmable-logic controller skills to do the job. Today's manufacturers have to make the part better, quicker and cheaper to compete globally, and you do that through technology," said Russell Vandiver, vice president of economic development at Lanier Technical College and executive director for the Center of Innovation for Manufacturing Excellence.

Contrary to popular opinion, American manufacturing isn't dead; it is automated and streamlined. There are fewer jobs, but the pay and required skills are higher.

"In Hall County, we make gas turbine engines for cruise missiles, tractor and auto parts, chewing gum, and we process more chickens than anywhere else. None of those operations are low-tech. A chicken is weighed and laid out by computer and cut by a water-jet laser to get the optimum return on the bird," Vandiver said. "New skill sets have to be learned, and old skill sets retooled to keep up with the ever-changing technology."

High school diploma is first step

The minimum entrance ticket to most industries, colleges and technical schools is graduation from 12th grade.

"Most of the jobs for tomorrow don't require a baccalaureate degree, but they do require training beyond high school," said Michael D. Moye, president of Lanier Technical College in Oakwood. "You'd be amazed at the skill sets needed in today's industries, and where best to get that education than at a college that specializes in occupational curricula?"

Georgia's 34 technical colleges and many private schools offer programs that prepare students for entry-level jobs in health care, manufacturing, business, information technology, personal services, criminal justice and other fields. Georgia public and private colleges also offer training through their continuing education departments.

Focused and skills-based, the training ranges from a two-month certificate to a two-year associate's degree. Industry and business advisers help technical colleges respond quickly to market needs; in turn, colleges often help industry by providing customized training for employees.

Because the campus has dormitories and can take students from all over the state, it formed a partnership with Georgia Power and four local electric membership corporations to develop an eight-week training program.

"This program is a slam-dunk for anyone wanting a career in this industry," said Nichols, who donned gear and climbed a pole to market the program. "Graduates who are proficient can find jobs at their local utility companies starting at $14 to $17 an hour, with good benefits."

Hearing that welders and machine tool technicians were needed at nuclear power plants in the Southeast, North Georgia Tech doubled its machine tools program.

As fast as North Georgia Tech can turn them out, graduates in the air-conditioning and commercial truck driving programs get job offers, and the school has grown its cosmetology programs to meet growing demands in the spa and resort industry.

"We're also adding dialysis technology and therapeutic massage to our allied health programs," Nichols said. "We already offer nursing, medical assisting, medical laboratory technology and EMT/paramedic programs — all skills urgently needed in Georgia. You can't go wrong in health care."

Health care a growing job market

While it takes many years of training to become a doctor, many allied health jobs fall into that growing sector of jobs that require less than four-year degrees but some college training. Eight of the 20 fastest-growing occupations in Georgia are in health care, according to the Labor Department, and 75 percent of the high job-growth occupations that require associate's degrees are medically related.