College is not for everyone. But try telling that to most middle-class parents, especially those who did not have the opportunity to attend college themselves.
Since the end of World War II, the college degree has become the Holy Grail of upward socioeconomic mobility. Yet a good number of today’s Gen Z students prefer to pursue vocational paths other than those that require a bachelor’s degree. Their parents are likely to admonish them that without at least bachelor’s degree, the best job you’ll find is supervisor at Taco Bell.
Meanwhile, to successfully compete in the 21st century, tourism-dependent cities like Miami, Las Vegas and New Orleans must diversify beyond service sector jobs in leisure and hospitality. These jobs are low-skilled, poorly paid and plagued with high turnover. To maintain and attract skilled labor, these communities will need to build a skilled workforce in higher value-added services such as IT, finance and health care.
One very promising way to do so is for businesses to offer apprenticeships, a proven vehicle for upskilling the workforce. Apprenticeships are training programs that combine hands-on experience with classroom instruction, acquiring specific skills while earning a wage. The skill acquisition embodied in these programs is directly tailored to the specific needs of the employer.