Students should consider alternatives to college degree, says state official
We’re often told we need more students to get college degrees to turn Idaho’s economy around.
But Jeff Sayer, the director of the state Department of Commerce, said not everyone needs a four-year degree.
On Friday, he told Local News 8 the reality is that Idaho needs more people in skilled labor.
He said in 1960, the workforce was 20 percent four-year degrees, 20 percent skilled labor and 60 percent unskilled labor. By 2018, the state will need 33 percent 4-year degrees., 57 percent skilled labor. and 10 percent unskilled labor.
Sayer said the Department of Labor is projecting that in a decade, Idaho’s economy will add 109,000 jobs – but the Gem State will be 95,000 workers short of filling those jobs.
“We’re talking to companies all over the state,” said Sayer. “They need four-year degree people, but if they could find enough skilled talent in the trades levels, these companies say they could double in size today if they could just find those people. It goes back to no longer do we need a welder than can run a bead. We need someone that can program the equipment that now runs the bead. “
Sayer said one of his best examples comes from Bill Whittaker of Simplot. He said no longer do we run potato plants with a crescent wrench and an oil rag in the back pocket – we now run potato plants with iPads.
Sayer said Idaho needs to change its mindset to get ahead economically.
“The problem we face as a society (is) we’ve put so much emphasis on getting a four-year degree, and that’s the only way to advance yourself,” he said. “We’ve isolated ourselves to only thinking that way. In reality, the people in these trades- and manufacturing-level jobs are making more than people with four-year degrees. There’s some mega-shifts in the nation where we’re waking up and need to embrace those one- and two-year degrees and recognize those are viable tracks people can go on where they can be more successful and more rewarded in their career and make more money.”
Sayer said those looking for a job should visit a new website called chooseidaho.gov.
“(The site) is a platform that combines those people that want to come home and help them be aware we have good jobs available,” he said. “We’re working with employers to post their jobs, and we’re recruiting alumni to think about coming back to Idaho. I’ve been teasing the (Idaho) Department of Labor about recruiting alumni through alumni lists. I keep telling them to talk to mothers and grandmothers. Tell them, ‘Help us get your kids back here, and we can help them get a great position.'”
