Options for Today’s Students
It would seem obvious that most students want to make more money after they graduate. When college-bound students are asked what they are interested in or what goals they have, the number one answer is usually “Money”. I think that we all have in mind to be successful and make a lot of money, as this of course is survival!
That being the case, it is important to have a purpose for what one is doing. Yet, as I meet thousands of executives and business owners each year, I have found that the vast majority of them seem to have lost their purpose.
“No purpose” or “failed purposes” along with a media machine constantly spitting out bad economic news, creates a picture of “no hope”.
This grim picture is then passed down to our youth who then ignore any purpose and just focus on what they think they must do to have enough money to survive.
In the past, it was thought that getting a college diploma or certificate would guarantee survival, but this is proving no longer to be the case, especially when considering the following excerpt from an article by the National Inflation Association:
“National Inflation Association’s advice to the youth of America today is to think for yourselves. Don’t get suckered into overpaying for a college degree that is worthless because everyone else has one. College is only worth attending if you plan on actually learning something there. If you are only going to college because you think a piece of paper is going to help you find a job, you would be much better off skipping college and entering the workforce right now at any entry-level job. Your experience will benefit you more than any piece of paper.”
To make matters worse, students today are often forced to pick a “Major” before they ever experience a career path. As most of us have found out, until you experience a career or business for yourself, how do you know you are going to LOVE or even LIKE it?
Given the existing system, students may graduate with a degree, but no real purpose in any field. They are still trying “to figure it out” and it may take them several entry-level positions to gain the experience necessary before they find an acceptable career path, which unfortunately will be mainly based on mere survival not on what they love to do.
As many of you know, we at Hubbard College of Administration are working hard to change this system by having our students serve multiple apprenticeships as part of every program we offer. This allows our students to actually experience different careers from the time they arrive at HCA.
Within a few weeks of starting any HCA program, the student is in a real live business gaining certainty by applying what he has learned in a live business environment.
The first product we are going for is to establish the student’s real purpose!
What are they excited about doing in life?
By finding this out, their education and future now has PURPOSE — and from that point on they are able to align their activities with that purpose.
Of course Business Owners and Executives need this as well as our young students — we work with them to rehabilitate their purposes, thereby motivating them again.
For example, many owners and executives have interests and goals other than their business. We all have thought “some day I want to do….”
Well the message here is to get started. When you are working on your goals and purposes on a regular basis, life is more fun.
With all the bad news and promoted “reasons to fail”, lets think differently; let’s rehabilitate our goals and win in spite of the economy!
This would be more fun anyway!
I welcome your thoughts on the above and invite all of you to push this idea of purpose into society. We could all really use it!
My very best,
Nick Terrenzi Executive Director, Hubbard College of Administration International
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