Georgetown University just published a Research Report that suggests getting a College Degree is the best way to get a good job.  (Link to the Report Here)

After analyzing this report I’ve come to the conclusion that the reason getting a college degree is so critical is that automation can pretty replace any job that is based only on High School Level Skills.

Basically the study found:

“Of the 2.9 million “good jobs” created during the recovery from 2010 to 2014, 2.8 million — or 97 percent — have gone to workers with at least a bachelor’s degree.”

(Good jobs were defined as those with median annual earnings of more than $42,700. Most good jobs are full time and twice as likely to provide health insurance and retirement plans.)

The study went on to say:

“The numbers are clear: postsecondary education is important for gaining access to job opportunities in the current economy … Job seekers with bachelor’s degrees or higher have the best odds of securing good jobs.”

My question is why?  My Answer – Robots!

Why does getting a College Degree help you get a good job?

The Report does not suggest why getting a College Degree is so powerful.  So, if I may, I would like to suggest my thinking as to why getting a College Degree is critical to getting a good job.

The reason that college is important is that jobs that only require high school level skills are being replaced by robots.

This picture of an Automated Cow Milking Operation is a great example.  We don’t need people to milk the cows anymore.  We need people to build and manage the automated cow milking machines.

Here is another example, working at Coffee Shop.

Because of “Robots” making coffee is no longer a skill.  Anyone that can push a button can make a great cup of coffee.

Technical Skills are the Foundation to a Good Job

Since Robots are replacing people in a growing number of jobs, the skills employers are now looking for are technical skills.

What specific skills those might be will depend on the specific job you are looking at.

But, basically those skills would include

• Computer skills
• Problem Solving Skills
• Communication Skills
• Finance Skills
• Business Skills
• Science Skills

You Don’t Need College, but you need the Skills!

It is important to note that the skills you might need to get a good job and not “NECESSARILY” only learnable through a college degree program.  There are many other ways to acquire those skills.

However, at this point, the best way to get those skills is through a college.

In future posts I will explore this topic more.