Is the traditional four-year college degree still the key to the American dream?
As American colleges approach a demographic cliff with fewer 18-year-olds, higher education faces intensifying pressure. President Donald Trump has criticized universities, cutting research funding and questioning their tax-exempt status. On the other hand, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris has criticized the focus on four-year degrees, advocating for apprenticeships and technical programs.
Public sentiment is shifting too. Nearly one-third of Americans now express little confidence in college, a significant increase over the past decade. Employers and states, eager for skilled workers, are dropping degree requirements for entry-level roles.
The podcast College Uncovered, hosted by Kirk Carapezza and Jon Marcus, explores alternative pathways to good jobs. They highlight apprenticeships and internships, noting the current supply cannot meet student demand.
In this final season episode, the podcast examines the future of higher education and the American economy, providing insights for students, parents, and those interested in education trends.
Listen to the whole series
TRANSCRIPT
[Jon] This is College Uncovered. I’m Jon Marcus …
[Kirk] … and I’m Kirk Carapezza.
[sound of car on lift] That’s a car at Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology. In Boston, students, including Jacqueline Rivera, are learning everything from tire repair to engine diagnostics.
[Jacqueline Rivera] Over here to the left is basically our engines class. This is where we kind of look at engines, identify the components, and we take them apart and put them back together.
[Kirk] After high school, Rivera planned for a four-year college to become a physician’s assistant. However, transportation and cost were major obstacles.
[Jacqueline Rivera] It was a little bit far away, so I couldn’t really realistically get there.
[Kirk] The cost was a significant barrier too.
[Jacqueline Rivera] It was way out of my budget.
[Kirk] She explored community college but dropped out, realizing health care wasn’t her passion. Remembering her love for fixing her dad’s Ford Explorer, she switched to automotive technology.
[Jacqueline Rivera] As a kid, I’ve always wondered how cars work, and just really wanting to learn about the intricacies, how things are put back together.
[Kirk] Now, at 25, Rivera is on a non-traditional path in automotive technology, one of many routes to gainful employment without a college degree. Employers are increasingly favoring skills over degrees.
[Jacqueline Rivera] It just makes a lot more sense. I’m still learning the theory and everything while I’m in school, but I’m also able to have time to work in a dealership and learn from the people that have already been there and have already been in that field for many years.
Apprenticeships and Internships: The New Pathways
[Kirk] College Uncovered, from GBH News and The Hechinger Report, reveals how colleges operate. I’m Kirk Carapezza with GBH …
[Jon] … and I’m Jon Marcus of The Hechinger Report.
Today, we discuss alternative career paths like apprenticeships. Are four-year degrees losing their grip on the American dream? As colleges face a demographic shift, higher education is under pressure from all sides.
[Jon] Yes, including from the top. President Donald Trump has targeted universities, questioned their tax-exempt status, and portrayed them as expensive and out of touch.
[Kirk] College leaders and the left disagree, and they’re fighting this in and out of court. But there is political consensus on one issue: the four-year degree is not the only route to a career.
[Kamala Harris] Good evening, Pennsylvania!
[Kirk] Here’s Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris at a campaign stop.
[Kamala Harris] For far too long, our nation has encouraged only one path to success: a four-year college degree. Our nation needs to recognize the value of other paths, additional paths such as apprenticeships and technical programs.
[Kirk] During the campaign, Harris pledged to double the number of apprenticeships.
[Jon] Yes, Kirk, in a time when politicians struggle to agree, this topic has bipartisan support. Trump expanded apprenticeships in his first term and continues to promote them.
[Kirk] Public opinion favors alternatives to college. Fewer Americans are attending college right after high school, with many citing affordability concerns. An overwhelming majority of recent graduates feel they learned more on the job than in college.
[Jon] Yes, and employers, eager for talent, are dropping degree requirements for some jobs.
[Kirk] With new career paths available, students and parents face more choices, complicating post-high school decisions. This final episode explores the future of the four-year degree and the growing demand for apprenticeships.
[Kirk] We’re examining why the U.S. lags in internships and apprenticeships compared to other countries and what this means for students and educational institutions.
[Jon] And, of course, as always, we’ll address key questions families face: Should you or your child consider alternatives to a four-year college degree?
The Rise of Non-Traditional Education
[Kirk] College isn’t the only path to a successful career anymore. Americans are increasingly turning to apprenticeships and internships as affordable entry points into the workforce.
However, demand exceeds supply, leaving many students without opportunities. Colleges and employers are slow to adapt. Currently, there are about 680,000 apprenticeships in the U.S., less than half a percent of the workforce.
[Jon] Right, and that sounds like a lot.
[Kirk] It does, but that’s a small fraction compared to the 19 million college students, although college enrollment is declining. Students still find it tough to gain work experience and earn a living wage. Over eight million college students want internships, but only about three million secure one.
[Brandon Busteed] We’ve got a big gap between supply and demand here right now.
[Kirk] Brandon Busteed, CEO of BrandEd, highlights this gap. His company partners with industry leaders to provide valuable student experiences.
[Brandon Busteed] We do that through Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Vogue College of Fashion, Manchester City Sports Business School, and the School of The New York Times.
[Kirk] Busteed’s initiatives blend the benefits of internships and apprenticeships, offering quality programs co-designed by industry professionals.
The Demographic Cliff and Its Impact
[Kirk] Colleges saw the demographic cliff approaching but didn’t adapt quickly enough. Now, they face rising tuition costs and declining enrollment. Some institutions, like Vanderbilt University, charge nearly $100,000 annually, while alternatives grow.
[Brandon Busteed] Corporate routes where I can get my college degree while I’m working, companies that will train me and pay me to train, and a whole host of third parties who are doing intensive short-form training that’s leading to pretty darn good jobs, high-paying jobs, jobs that pay family-sustaining wages.
[Jon] The demographic cliff affects not only colleges but employers too. States with aging populations, like Maine, are investing in apprenticeships to fill workforce gaps.
[Kirk] Aqua what?
[Jon] Aquaculture, Kirk. That’s the breeding and harvesting of fish and shellfish.
Programs like the Aquaculture Pioneers offer hands-on learning in marine science. Hannah Greene, of Educate Maine, connects students with these opportunities across various trades.
[Hannah Greene] We have high school students. We have students that are starting college, or finishing up their college experience. We have participants that have been out of college for many, many years.
[Jon] Maine’s apprenticeship numbers are growing, providing work experience and certifications recognized nationwide.
[Kirk] Now, Jon, remember what we said earlier: 80 percent of recent grads say they’re learning more in the first six months on the job than they did in their entire four-year college experience.
[Jon] That’s a great advertisement for apprenticeship.
[Kirk] It is, Jon, but other countries are far ahead of us. The U.K. and Australia have far more apprenticeships per capita. Vinz Koller of Jobs for the Future notes Switzerland’s successful dual pathway system, where many young people choose work-based learning.
[Vinz Koller] What we notice, you know, when you grow up there, is that, you know, the kids that go the work-based learning pathway have more money, right from the get-go.
[Jon] In the U.S., work-based training still carries a stigma, but historical figures like Abraham Lincoln advanced through apprenticeships.
[Kirk] Some states have embraced youth apprenticeships, but the national system remains fragmented. Koller advocates for expanding apprenticeships into white-collar industries.
[Vinz Koller] We have to broaden it from, you know, the hardhat trades to the white-collar industries. And we have to make it easier for companies to start up apprenticeships.
[Kirk] Institutions like Franklin Cummings Tech in Boston are integrating apprenticeships with degree programs. Aisha Francis, the president, emphasizes the importance of combining education and hands-on training.
[Aisha Francis] The foundation of this institution was based in access to apprenticeship.
[Kirk] Founded with a gift from Benjamin Franklin, the school now offers apprenticeships in fields such as automotive technology.
[Aisha Francis] Apprenticeships don’t necessarily have anything to do with college, but what we’re doing that’s different here is embedding the apprenticeship process with the degree-seeking process.
[Kirk] Franklin Cummings Tech enrollment is rising. The school offers 10 apprenticeship degree programs, with some having waitlists. Students like Jacqueline Rivera are gaining valuable experience while pursuing their degrees.
[Jacqueline Rivera] You get to learn the theory, but you also are hands-on. We have a lot of labs and we get that time to go over the theory and kind of put ourselves to work.
[Kirk] As the demand for alternative education grows, colleges must adapt and embrace new models to attract students.
[Aisha Francis] Well, people are banging down our doors. I think the perception might be that people aren’t banging down the doors, but they are.
[Kirk] Franklin Cummings Tech aims for 1,500 students, with most engaging in apprenticeships and work-based learning.
[Kirk] This is College Uncovered, from GBH News and The Hechinger Report. I’m Kirk Carapezza …
[Jon] … and I’m Jon Marcus.
This episode was produced by Kirk Carapezza and Jon Marcus, with sound design by David Goodman and Gary Mott. Music by college bands, featuring Left Roman from MIT. College Uncovered is supported by Lumina Foundation, produced by GBH News and The Hechinger Report, and distributed by PRX.
For more information on apprenticeships and alternative career paths, visit Apprenticeship.gov. Learn how employers are dropping degree requirements and read about the demand for apprenticeships and internships. Discover the plan to modernize America’s apprenticeship system by reading Jobs for the Future’s blueprint.
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