University or Trade

More and more I see articles questioning if a university degree is worth it. I have several friends with children about to graduate from high school.

I look back on my own choices.

The cost of many universities can mean slavery to student debt throughout their adult lives.

A lot may depend on what the child wants to do. Some kids have no idea while others have a passion. Whether the passion will provide a livable income is another question. Will the hope for income rob the child of his passion? Will the income even materialize?

In my case I knew I wanted to do something with writing. At 16 I worked as a reporter.

Also I was passionate about learning history and reading great literature. Going to university had nothing to do with earning money and everything to do with learning. I felt like a sponge absorbing things I adored. Even the side courses in art, music, biology feed me--a  thick, dark rich chocolate of learning. In the back of my mind I had debated becoming a university professor, but personal circumstances made that impossible. It was a fantastic part of my life intellectually.

Today that wouldn't be possible unless I wanted to enslave myself to student debt. When I went to university tuition was $400 a year. Despite the low tuition, I seldom had the money My bank was my father whenever the university threaten to expel me for lack of payment, he made up the difference. I paid back every cent.

The degree allowed me to find work with words in PR, marketing, communication. Yet, I spent years in mind-numbing business jobs, well paid though they were but not necessarily better paid than in a trade. There were a couple of highlights where I loved my job but not more than 11 of my 47 years of my working life could I say I didn't waste my limited time on this planet. Many zapped my energy to write.

If I had it to do over again, it would be different. I wouldn't sacrifice so much of my precious time on earth to things I didn't want to do.

Would I look at a trade after university where my mental energies would not be zapped so I could concentrate on my writing or would I push the journalism? As a girl some of the trade jobs would be difficult if not impossible.

Could I have made more money in the trades?  It depends on which jobs and at which time and place. Would working in a trade have left me more energy for the things I loved?

 https://www1.salary.com/Skilled-and-Trades-salaries.html "What are the average salary ranges for jobs in the Skilled and Trades ? There are 1444 jobs in Skilled and Trades category. Average salaries can vary and range from $22,857 to $316,079. Salary ranges can differ significantly depending on the job, industry, location, required experience, specific skills, education, and other factors..."

The one thing about the trades is that work cannot be sent overseas although this never happened to me.

I don't get to live my life over. Even if I did, it is a different time. But I do know, a corporate life would not be part of the plan.