My experience background spans 45 years in quality control/training in the military-industrial complex, in peace and war. My CETA experience is from aerospace. I worked with people who were advanced past people who were much more qualified. Merit really had nothing to do with promotion.
I have seen the academic standards drop to allow for serious gaps in basic reading, writing and arithmetic--in military and civilian environments. Many high school graduates have a serious lack of basics training which requires remedial training to handle college level.
Two great points ... having worked in state government for nearly 20 years, I watched people, less qualified, promoted over people with degrees. It happened a lot in my department. We were hired to issue, inspect and conduct complaints on licensed family day care in private residences.
There were times I'd need to expand my two county units, and went through the hiring process. A lot of folks from other state jobs and departments would apply and be interviewed, along with college grads working in the private sector. And while the degrees and job experience impressed me a lot, there were times I hired from within our immediate office, because a gal or guy who worked for years as a file clerk or office clerk knew the ins-and-outs of the job. They may not have had a degree, but they knew the job, and turned out to be great licensing analysts.
As for the lowering of academic standards, how right on your are. Our colleges are taking just about anybody that is warm and can come up with the money through loans or whatever other means!
Higher education is more concerned about padding the numbers, and that means adding to the rolls. A large student body means more grants, etc., but while doing this, they often scrapethe bottom of the barrel, academically, and in order accommodate these inferior students; they lower the requirements for admission, and even in grading those students once they get to class!
There are always going to be the core classes, that are often difficult. But then there are courses like "Executive Basket Weaving" or "Community Organizing for the Beginner!"
And some of the majors today are ridiculous too, leaving the college grad with a major in something that is irrelevant and not going to open career doors in most places of employment. Probably the reason we have so many university grads working at WalMart and McDonald's!
I agree with your observations, brother. Advanced academia in not what it once was! Have you ever watched Jay Leno and his Jaywalking series? How many people did he interview who said they were a university grad and a teacher or something else of importance and couldn't answer basic questions like: Who was Besty Ross? Who did we fight for independence from England?
Of course, the truth is, most kids coming out of high schoo can't answer these same questions!
I think, IMHO, our society wants anyone who thinks they can get a degree to have the chance. After all, that is what political correctness is all about. EVERYONE wins ... if they just get in the game!
