Focus on Manatee | A college degree can pay off over your entire working life
Lifelong learning is a core principle for CareerSource Suncoast. As such, granting scholarships is the most impactful thing we do as an organization.
During the past 12 months, we’ve invested more than $350,000 in scholarships for people in the community and expect to come close to half a million dollars by the end of the month. While those are big numbers on their own, the ramifications can be even larger.
Data from the Brookings Institution shows the average high school graduate or GED holder earning $35,000 by the 30th year of her career. Just some college is a $7,000 per year increase, while associate degree holders earn on average $48,000 per year. In terms of lifetime earnings, some college is a $130,000 difference, while associate degree holders earn $260,000 more in their careers than those with a high school diploma or GED.
The unemployment data backs up the argument for more education, too. The unemployment rate for individuals without a high school diploma or GED is 5.4 percent nationwide, or more than twice the rate for people with an associate degree according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
While the average bachelor’s degree carries nearly $27,000 in debt, CareerSource Suncoast grants up to $5,000 per year for up to two years in scholarships, enough to cover nearly the full cost of attendance for many of the programs at our local technical colleges and State College of Florida.
The question then becomes why not make now the time to further your education. CareerSource Suncoast will invest more than $1 million in training in the next year from CDL truck drivers to registered nurses. We’ve done the homework on the labor market to cull the jobs with the biggest growth and the highest wages. We’ve inquired with the schools to get their graduation rates and entry wages. A career coach will work with you to navigate the process and find a better job on the other side. All you have to do is choose the best path for your future.
Ted Ehrlichman is president and CEO of CareerSource Suncoast.