Pressure not necessary; 4-year college life not for everyone

Well, I would say that I'm just drifting.\nAlthough these words were uttered while floating in a suburban pool, this declaration by Ben to his father in the film "The Graduate" applies to so many young adults. It is impossible to count the amount of people I know who have dropped out of college, switched schools, changed majors or are just "drifting."\nThese common actions, or lack thereof, may be labeled as misguided or even irresponsible. Considering this indecisiveness has become a norm, misdirection is a much more appropriate term. The blame rests in huge pressures and a lack of understanding every option. \nEducation is rightfully valued in this country. But employers still list following orders, applying teamwork, heavy lifting, using tools and handling cash as major skills needed in the workforce, according to Indiana's New Economy Workforce Statistics. \nThis would explain why many of the highest-paying careers are in manual labor and special trades. Sanitation workers can make almost $850 per week, while plumbers and electricians make more than $700. This compares to a reporter's weekly salary of about $500, which for most requires a diploma, according to 1999 figures from INEWS. \nThe manufacturing industry provides stable jobs to many small communities, where hard workers hope to make enough money to raise a family. In recent years, these opportunities are fleeing south of the boarder. This month, Bush was overwhelmingly supported in his expansion of unemployment payments. The law will qualify 70,000 Hoosiers for a 13-week extension in assistance, Gregory Weaver of the Indianapolis Star said. \n"More and more good-paying jobs require the skills you can develop with a two-year degree," according to www.ivytech.in.us. In Indiana alone, there are 23 community-based colleges, where a "further faster" education may advance a career or award an associate's degree. Many similar schools are meeting the demand for people who want a concise program, without the "well-rounded" classes forced at universities. \nSadly, alternative training or present-day apprenticeships, where exact skills are taught while bringing home a paycheck, receive little support from high school advisors. Instead of thoroughly explaining the realities of the workplace to young adults, these counselors spend time fixing teenage romances and family problems. \nLuckily, despite many horrible institutions, the government has a wonderful service in the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, which focuses on job placement. Also, its Customer Self Service System (CS3) links applicants to local job opportunities and national career openings. Many other sites provide the same function, such as America's Job Bank, fedworld.gov and Headhunter.net, which appropriately states, "It only costs you if you don't do it." \nThese resources, more now than ever before, are just a click away. They are not just for students or adults with certificates hanging on the wall but every American that faces though choices in the changing workplace. It is time for a change -- recognition that universities are wonderful for some, but others need different options. Only when schools and communities embrace new career paths will young adults feel more comfortable in their decisions. \nAlthough written in 1967, the words that open "The Graduate" fit today: We should ask ourselves the one most important question: What is the purpose for all those years, the purpose for all the demanding work, the purpose for the sacrifices?