ORLANDO, Florida – While Monday was the first day of school for many young students, the fall semester begins at many Florida colleges in the coming weeks.
What you need to know
- According to a study by the Pew Research Center, only one in four people believe that a college degree is necessary for a well-paying job
- Many people turn to vocational schools because there is a high demand for workers and many positions, such as electricians and contractors, pay well.
- The BuildStrong Academy of Orlando offers free training in careers such as construction and allows students to graduate within nine months.
However, a recent Gallup poll shows that 32% of people have little or no confidence in a college education, and the majority of respondents believe that higher education is heading in the wrong direction.
And according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, only one in four people believe that a college degree is necessary to get a well-paying job.
Kam Dabs said she understands what people think about college these days.
He originally began his higher education at a four-year college in New York before deciding to drop out and study something better.
“I was enrolled in political science and economics,” he said. “I had about 102 credits, and that’s when I realized that it wasn’t for me and I was wasting my time.”
He is not alone in these thoughts, as a new Gallup poll shows that 32% of people have little or no confidence in a college education.
Dabs said he decided to change careers and enrolled at BuildStrong Academy in Orlando.
“And a lot of people from a lot of backgrounds are going into the construction industry and have decided that’s where they want to spend their time,” he said.
Dabs is pursuing a career as an electrician and, thanks to BuildStrong, is receiving free training that he will complete in nine months.
He said he expects to earn $53,000 in his first year after graduation.
Amanda McKenzie agrees that a four-year degree is not a good idea these days. She attended Florida Atlantic University with the goal of studying medicine when she realized that was not the right field for her and decided to go to a professional school.
“That’s because a lot of people go to school, get into so much debt, and still don’t get the job they want,” McKenzie says.
McKenzie wants to become a building contractor like her father.
BuildStrong Academy in Orlando offers tuition-free career education and training in the construction industry with a focus on professional development, mentoring and ongoing support for students and partners.
Almost all of the academy’s graduates find work after graduation, said operations manager Joseph Hernandez
“There is a huge need in the construction industry today,” Hernandez said.
