Education is highly regarded in American society. People with degrees are highly sought after for jobs, and those without degrees often find themselves at a disadvantage. People think it’s essential to get a degree or even finish high school to get ahead. But some wealthy people haven’t even finished high school. Take Jay-Z, for example.
Jay-Z is an international hip-hop mogul and one of the wealthiest people in the music industry. He’s also one of the most successful entrepreneurs, with over $1 billion net worth. Yet, he never finished high school.
However, this example doesn’t mean people don’t have to get educational attainment to succeed. Jay-Z is more of an exception to this rule, but it’s also important to know that anyone can be an exception if only people know what they’re doing.
Educational Attainment in the United States
The United States has one of the world’s highest rates of educational attainment. According to the OECD, over 86% of adults in the US have completed high school, and 52 million have completed tertiary education (i.e. university).
This is significantly higher than the global averages; according to UNESCO, only around 60% of adults worldwide have completed high school, and just 14% have completed tertiary education.
So clearly, in the US, people value education highly, which is seen as crucial for success. But what about other countries?
Educational Attainment Around the World
In many other countries, educational attainment rates are much lower than in the US. For example, in some countries, such as South Africa, only 60% of adults have completed high school. In others, such as Nigeria, this figure is even lower, at just over 40%.
However, some countries also have higher educational attainment rates than the US. For example, in Canada, nearly 90% of adults have completed high school; in Japan, this figure is even higher, at over 96%.
Education is highly regarded worldwide, but it’s mainly secondary education. When it comes to tertiary education, numbers are much smaller. For example, only 22% of adults in Canada have completed tertiary education.
Tertiary education is costly when compared to secondary education. In the US, the average cost of tuition at a public four-year university is over $9,000 per year. For a private university, this figure is even higher, at over $32,000 per year. This means that many people cannot afford to attend university, even if they want to. However, there are ways to bypass this, especially if you’re planning to enter an on-demand industry. One way is through apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are a form of informal education that isn’t appreciated enough. It’s a type of education that allows people to learn a trade while working. It’s beneficial for many reasons. Firstly, it’s cheaper than going to university. Secondly, it allows people to learn while they’re earning. And finally, it helps people to gain experience in their chosen field.
In the US, many different types of apprenticeships are available, but most are found in the contracting sector. A predominant market in the sector is the electrical industry. It’s a place where thousands of people become apprentice electricians. These people eventually become full-time electricians in the future, with the knowledge of an expert. However, apprenticeships are also available in other industries, such as the culinary arts, automotive repair, and even healthcare.
Apprenticeships offer many benefits, and it’s one way to enter an on-demand market without spending so much money and time on education.
Is Education Essential to be Successful?
Education isn’t essential to success, but the growth of knowledge you have regarding a particular industry will make you successful. Jay-Z might have dropped out of high school, but that gave him a headstart in the music industry. He spent years hustling and making connections, which led to him becoming one of the most successful rappers in the world.
Bill Gates is another example of someone who didn’t finish university, but he’s now one of the wealthiest men in the world. He dropped out of Harvard to start Microsoft, and it’s now a multibillion-dollar company. He spent his lifetime studying computers and growing his network, and eventually, he became an expert.
This shows that you don’t need tertiary education to attain the finest things in life. You need to gain more knowledge by reading and speaking to people already in the industry. You need to have a strong work ethic and be willing to hustle. You can learn all of these things by being an apprentice and taking a hands-on approach to something you love doing.
