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Phase: Inspiration Missions: Skills & Training

some loves are worth more than others

“People keep telling kids to study what they love — but some loves are worth more than others,” said Anthony P. Carnevale, one of the study’s authors.

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Written by DeletedUser

Start from an article in here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/new-study-shows-architecture-arts-degrees-yield-highest-unemployment/2012/01/03/gIQAwpaXZP_story.html
Architecture sounds like a very exciting major which combines art and science. For the majority of people who do not want to devote themselves completely to dry science or fine art, architect is a desired career. It sounds like a high socio-econ status job too. But the fact is that, there are way more architecture (and related landscape, planning etc majors) in the United States then it is actually needed.
I believe very few people feel the "calling" of one love and did not want to major in anything else. As the article says "People keep telling kids to study what they love — but some loves are worth more than others", when students choose their major, school should give them career advice and career outlook, so students are not blindly choosing to enter the job market with a over-supplied skill.

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Photo of fjr

Lynn, you make a solid point that young people should be encouraged to explore a number of different areas that might interest them rather than channeling themselves into one track. Approaching learning and life narrowly reduces flexibility. Not only is the world always changing but people find new areas of interest all the time if they are open to them. It is increasingly uncommon to stay in the same precise line of work over a lifetime.

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Photo of Anne-Laure Fayard

Hi, I agree that young people should be encourage and offer the opportunity to explore various fields. In fact, I personally think that this is also about allowing children to have a broad education as long as possible. I am always surprised when I see middle schools to a certain extent, and then high schools already asking children to specialize.
Yet, I am not sure I completely agree with the quote (sorry I haven't read the article) and the fact that young people should not be encouraged to do what they are passionate about. I personally studied what I wanted despite what people around me thought: I studied philosophy and people kept asking me what kind of job I would get. My reply was: I don't know but for the moment I want to learn something I really like and I'll always figure out a way of making a leaving (hopefully in a field I like) when it is time. I was maybe extremely lucky but I ended up always doing things I was interested in although I moved away from philosophy.
Looking at my students, I would in fact encourage them to be passionate and enthusiasts instead of looking in a pragmatic way for a job. Students only thinking of finding the perfect job do not "learn" nor "think" (in a deep and broad way), and they don't use opportunities to learn from various fields and experiences. They thus miss opportunities that will allow them to find interesting jobs. I might be wrong... or it might depend of the careers and professions.

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