College!?

There are many careers in life such as nursing and engineering that require a college education. At a young age, many are told that you need college for everything. People unconsciously put labels on teenagers based upon what they see and it’s sad, but it's reality. College doesn't seem like a necessity because there are many things you can do without a college degree.

According to USNEWS.com in 2012, it was found that many college graduates ended up looking for jobs that didn't really require a college degree, About 36% of these people actually got a job paying about 45,000 or more a year. There are a lot of jobs or careers that do not require a college education such as a medical assistant or an insurance sales agent, which are solid career choices. Some people make it seem like not being college educated is a bad thing and not having a degree is a reason to quit, but that's not the case. There are a lot of people doing well in their careers or businesses and not just talking about Mark Zuckerberg.

Kathy Donaldson, a senior sales and support specialist in corporate banking at Associated Bank and Steven Jones, Vice President of Finance/Portfolio Manager in corporate banking at Associated Bank are two people that work very well with teens. While Donaldson didn't graduate college, Jones did. Jones graduated from Wilford University in Ohio and found it helpful because it allowed him to gain experience from being away from home. Though Jones knows academics are important, he feels that gaining life skills are just as important. He talks to teens, mentors them on what happens in the real world and shares stories about his life experiences along with Donaldson.

Donaldson didn't graduate college, but she didn't let that determine her future. One thing she always said was, “ Working at the bank and doing well in school will help you go a long way in life. When I was young, I didn’t have the stuff you have now in terms of what your school offers you, you should take advantage of that.” Opportunities are not put in our life for no reason even if college is not an option. Settling for a dead end job that may not lead to career stability isn’t wise. Find your passion and make the best of whatever that is.

There are a lot of opportunities available without needing a college degree. Meeting new people and traveling are just a couple of things every person should be able to do.Though college is not a necessity, it’s still a great experience to have in life. Everyone's future is dependent upon what happens now and this is not the time to give up. Push for what is worth it, not what others want