Jobs and Money for English Majors

Along with studying taxes, I’m taking a Ph.D. level course in Human Resource Education.  The statistics as to the need for college-educated workers is sobering.  The Cliff note's version?

Gypsy Rose Lee was right, you’ve gotta’ have a gimmick to get a job, especially if you are an English Major

Here are the notes from the Prof that back it all up:

  

·         Most jobs in future will require a college degree—WRONG.  Actually only ~20% (% in my state >25 w/degree: 18%)

·         Most high-wage jobs will be in technical fields and these jobs require a college degree

·         Largest/fastest growing segment of technical workforce does not require a degree (labeled as “knowledge workers” by Peter Drucker in 1994)

·         Makeup of this segment

o    Technicians: 25%

o    Blue collar technical workers: 57%

o    Professionals: 18%

As # of college grads increase economy will generate equivalent # of jobs requiring college degrees

·         ½ of those looking for work in professions & 1/3 of all college grads will not find jobs (USBOL, 2001)

·         As # of college grads increase , degree will be necessary to get even nonprofessional employment

·         Displacement by college grads is likely in medium wage/low skills jobs, not true for technical jobs—college grad will still have to have technical skills to displace technical workers

Long story short – your college degree is important. 
But get technical training and specialize when you can – that’s where the money is in Real Life.

I've spent time and money adding specialized skills in Dreamweaver Web site coding, Search Engine Optimization, social media and marketing and taxes.  The web site and social media skills I'm  using in my day job as a communications director, and they have paid off in valuable PR for my employer.  What's your gimmick?