Did you know the average Mississippi student has almost $37,000 in student loan debt? In addition, did you know the average cost of a 4-year degree in Mississippi is $51,000? It’s worth it to note that the cost rose from last year and will likely keep rising.
A 2023 study revealed that:
- American’s confidence in higher education fell from 57% (that’s already low) to 37%
- Almost 50% of parents would prefer their child not go to college
- Only 40% of college students will graduate and find a job in their field of study
- 56% of Americans think earning a four-year degree is a bad bet
- 65% of high school students believe they’ll be okay without a college degree
Because of the value of a college degree has decreased, there are 3 million fewer students enrolling in universities across the country.
Graduating from high school and attending a university doesn’t have to be every student’s story. Our goal is to show there’s a different way to success.
Instead of going to a 4-year university, students can start working and continue training by joining one of our apprenticeships. paid for by their employer. By their fourth, and last, year in one of our programs, apprentices are making up to $60,000 a year. That salary is just the beginning for our apprentices. In construction, there is unlimited growth potential. Hard work and determination are the only requirements for an entry level worker to become a construction manager, CEO, or even business owner. No debt needed.
You can also earn a construction-related degree from one of our community college partners [link to list]. This 2-year degree can also help propel you into a successful career in construction without taking on $37,000 in student debt.
Fewer and fewer jobs require degrees from universities and fewer and fewer people are obtaining them. Did you know that 7 out of 10 jobs require less than a four-year degree and almost 2 out of 3 of American workers do not have a four-year college degree?
Mississippi needs 100,000 tradespeople through 2026 and that number continues to grow as 53% of current professionals are estimated to retire from the industry by 2040. This high demand has pushed the industry to improve thir pay, benefits, and incentives. In fact, from 2021-2022, 72% of employers increased their base pay, 33% of employers added incentives/bonuses, and 26% of employers improved employee benefits. We expect these numbers to increase as the demand for workers increases.
In addition, construction companies across Mississippi are also modernizing their businesses with technology such as state-of-the-art training simulators and mobile apps for on-the-field use. Over half of employers use mobile software technology for daily field reports, time tracking & approval, document sharing, and client information access. Also, 20% of employers expect to invest more in their company’s technology. Technology leads the way into the future and the construction industry has embraced that.
A career in the trades is for people who want to:
- Receive great pay immediately
- Avoid student loan debt
- Learn a highly-demanded skill
- Enter a booming industry
- Have a fulfilling job
- Potentially own their own company
- Point to what they’ve accomplished
- Work on a tight-knit team
- Build with their hands
- Manage projects
- Make something generations after them will benefit from.
With construction, students can go from the classroom to a career without the cost. Not only that but they are virtually guaranteed a job, job security, and similar pay and benefits as those with 4- year degrees.
Resources: this one, this one, and this one – to name a few.