will you be forever broke and careerless if you don’t go to college? turns out you’ll probably be okay. in this episode we talk about the alternative options to a financially stable career that doesn’t require a 4 year degree because rising college costs, doubts about the payoff, and selective admissions are causing many to reconsider traditional higher education paths. we talk with people that have made a living without a degree and ask about how they did it, if they have any regrets and then later bring on david deming as an expert who can guide us on the value of a college degree.  so maybe the key to a good life isn’t a business degree but simply a career as a plumber or IT worker. life gets so much simpler (and less expensive) if you realize that early lol

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About Our Partners:

GrownKid is made possible by the Schultz Family Foundation, dedicated to helping young people unlock their full potential and successfully navigate to fulfilling careers.

GrownKid is made in partnership with Joy Coalition where purpose driven content meets powerful storytelling. From 13 reasons Why to unprisoned, Joy Coalition projects are made to bridge generations and drive groundbreaking conversations.

Interested in a career in mental health? Check out the Youth Mental Health Corps – a new program created by the Schultz Family Foundation, Pinterest and AmeriCorps - where anyone with a high school degree can gain experience, skills, and a credential during a year of paid service in the mental health field. Learn more at youthmentalhealthcorps.org

Featured Guests:

David Deming: https://www.daviddeming.com/ –  David Deming is the Isabelle and Scott Black Professor of Political Economy at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Christopher Zara: https://christopherzara.com/about/ – Christopher Zara is an author and journalist at Fast Company.

dave baldwin: @davebaldwin_ - a trade worker and musician under the name Vineland. Dave is the property manager for multiple a-list celebrities in Hollywood and beyond.

Amanda Southworth: @am.nda - Amanda Southworth dropped out of high school at 16 and now has a career in internet and tech safety.

Marco Gudino: Chose not to attend college due to concerns about financial debt and now works as an office administrative assistant. 

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Website: grownkid.com

Resources:

Career Village: 'Reddit for careers'. Anyone can head to the site, ask any career-related question, and get crowdsourced answers from real, verified professionals. CareerVillage.org's mission is to democratize access to career information and advice for underrepresented people.

Code Path: CodePath is reprogramming higher education to create the most diverse generation of engineers, CTOs, and founders. They deliver industry-vetted courses and career support centered on the needs of Black, Latino/a, Indigenous, and low-income students.

Skill Up: SkillUp is a nonprofit that enables job seekers to break into new careers regardless of their degree-holding status. They focus on careers that pay a living wage, feature high-quality trainings with low risk and high returns, and are dedicated to educating how to achieve promising career paths.