Korean Job Discussion Forums

[silkhighway]

I think a distinction needs to be made between general degrees (Arts, Science, etc.) and professional degrees (preparing you for engineering, law, education, health, etc.).

The first type should not be seen as purely paths to employment as the knowledge gained in these programs have intrinsic value. The skills demonstrated also have extrinsic value. A degree may not be a guarantor of a good job, but you are better off with the degree than you aren't. The ability to think critically and abstractly, to reason logically and coherently, to communicate clearly and effectively, and to take on responsibility and be able to work on tasks with minimal supervision that take weeks or months to complete. These are skills you must possess and develop to get through a general degree and they are also the type of skills employers complain they have trouble recruiting.

[Threequalseven]

[World Traveler]

[Threequalseven]

[young_clinton]

[Swampfox10mm]

One of the most serious issues facing the USA (and the world, really) hasn't even been brought up in the media much yet. But mark my words as a warning... it will be... and it will be huge.

The Midwest and Western USA is known as the breadbasket of the world. You may have heard that in the early 1930's, much of that area of the world endured what was called the "dust bowl." It lasted about a decade, with returning rains, and better farming methods helping things get more back to normal. Unfortunately, from that time, it was also learned that there was a rather large (but not so deep) underground water aquifer which could be used to irrigate fields.

That aquifer has been drained slowly since 1940, and it is estimated to have about 10 years of water left. It cannot be replaced by man, and it takes 6,000 years for nature to replace it. Sadly, fracking is also thought to be poisoning some of it, too.

In around 10 to 15 years, depending on when cyclical droughts hit that area again, you can count on the cost of food around the world to explode. Even without droughts, the lack of water will damage output immensely.

It's coming. It's a serious issue.

Read here:

http://www.texastribune.org/2013/05/22/ogallala-aquifer-texas-panhandle-suffers-big-drop/


http://amarillo.com/news/local-news/2013-07-06/water-decline-causes-farmers-fear-future

[Threequalseven]

[young_clinton]

[silkhighway]

A discussion about the value of a degree turns into a random commentary on a selection of economic and environmental ills facing America.

Is education and the fact that we are capable of having this conversation not part of the solution? Living in Asia facing environmental issues far, far more pressing and severe than America's, does it not concern you that that conversation doesn't happen there enough?

[NohopeSeriously]

I majored in heath studies. Pretty useless in Canada, actually.

[recessiontime]

I have 2 useless degrees:
3 yr life science degree
4 yr biology degree

The combination of which net me an EPIK job in 2008. In Canada, these were so useless that Canadian Tire and other stores wouldn't even bother interviewing me. I've lost count of how many job I've applied to. Must be in the thousands. In total my student loans came up to 100k+. I'm sure it's still accruing interest now since I've defaulted ages ago.

I did a 2 yr pharmacy degree in 2009. As a registered pharmacist in Australia I now make 100k+/yr. After taxes it's more like 75k. I won't ever put a dime toward paying my student loans in Canada and there is absolutely nothing they can do to punish me.

[World Traveler]

You will live in Australia until your dying day?

Maybe not. Maybe you will eventually miss your friends and family.

Why not pay the loan? That is the honest thing to do. I mean, you make 100K a year now so you can certainly afford it.

[edwardcatflap]

[recessiontime]

[Fox]