In 2016, the only thing more expensive than going to college…was NOT going to college.
According to the College Board, tuition for the 2016-2017 school year cost an average of $33,480 for private institutions, $9,650 for in-state residents at public universities, and $24,930 for out-of-state residents at public universities. In short: picking up the tab for a 4-year degree was just out of the question for many young US high school graduates.
So, what’s the alternative? For many people, it’s really not much of a choice.
Out of the roughly 3 million students who graduated high school last year, 1.1 million did not enroll in college. Statistically, 1 out of 8 of these graduates will be unemployed by the time they’re 25 years old. For those who do find work, average earnings will top out at $28,000/yr.
In 2015, Red Ventures CEO Ric Elias launched a nonprofit called Road to Hire aimed at helping high-performing high school graduates from low to moderate income homes break into successful careers – without a college degree.
Road to Hire provides paid professional training, personal development, and job placement in the fields of sales and technology – where average earnings start at $45,000/yr. Their ultimate goal is to 1) boost economic mobility in the Charlotte area and 2) create awesome opportunities for motivated, highly-driven young people, regardless of their backgrounds.
As part of a special “RV Diaries,” we asked three current students on the Road to Hire Sales track to show what a “day in the life” of the program actually looks like. Here’s what they got:
Applications for Summer 2017 are now open! Start your application or share this link with someone who should apply: www.roadtohire.org.
The RV Diaries is an ongoing series in which real RV employees share their experiences – inside and outside of work. Watch more RV Videos on YouTube.
