Info for High School Grads
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| Thu, 06-10-2004 - 6:24pm |
As high school graduations take place around the country, it is timely to examine how young high school graduates are faring in the job market. From 1979 to 2003, the inflation-adjusted hourly wages earned by recent high school graduates (one to five years past graduation) have fallen by 17.4% among men and by 4.9% among women. Thus, the quality of jobs available to recent high school graduates has deteriorated remarkably over the last few decades.
A further indication of the erosion of quality work opportunities for new high school graduates is the dramatic decline in the share of jobs for which employers provide health insurance or pensions (see figure). Employer-provided health insurance among recent high school graduates in their "entry-level jobs" fell from 63.3% in 1979 to roughly half that many, 34.7%, in 2002 (the latest data). Pension coverage fell over this period as well, from the low level of 36.0% in 1979 to an even lower 20.1% in 2002.
http://www.epinet.org/content.cfm/webfeatures_snapshots_06092004

This seems to be the initial conclusion, go to college. But I remember posting an article that said the employees with "college degrees and those age 45 and older have had an especially difficult time finding work."
http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-elinthenews&msg=6175.1&ctx=128
So you go to college, rack up mega bucks of debt, then whamo, no job. It does seem that the newly created jobs are in the service industry. The article discussed benefits and pensions so maybe college isn't the answer, but for young people learn to save and pay medical insurance. So much for my crystal ball and two cents.