More high school grads should go to work, not to college

Filed by Deacon Rift

The Hill opinion piece argues that the decades-old "college for all" policy, backed by unlimited federal student loans, has produced a skilled trades labor shortage while burdening millions of graduates with debt. The author contends that many high school graduates would be better served entering the workforce directly or pursuing apprenticeships and vocational training, citing strong pay and demand in trades like plumbing, electrical work, and construction. Skeptics counter that college degrees still carry a significant lifetime earnings premium and warn that de-emphasizing higher education could widen existing inequalities, though both sides agree the current one-size-fits-all approach deserves scrutiny.