Thoughts on jobs, education, and culture

A recent conversation got me thinking about jobs, education, and the Mennonite culture. I did some quick research on how many people in our congregation are self-employed or working for a member versus those who are employed outside of our circles. The result was 95% self-employed or working for a member, and 5% working outside. A larger majority of the 95% are self-employed, which helps create jobs for others. We are fortunate to have jobs within our circles, and probably don't realize how good we have it. Most likely we are getting paid more working for a member than we would if employed elsewhere. Time off for weddings and vacations is easily granted and maybe even expected.

Will the majority of people in our circles continue to be self-employed or working for a member as time goes on? We might need to broaden our horizons and seek work elsewhere. When looking for a job, usually one of the first requirements is a GED. Where I work, even a housekeeper or dishwasher is required to have a GED, with a starting wage of $9 - $10 an hour. Jobs that require special training but not a college degree (phlebotomy, medical assistant, pharmacy tech, etc.) start out at $13 - $14 an hour. That comes out to a yearly gross income of approximately $30,000. If you're single you might manage to live off that, but it would be insufficient for supporting a spouse or family. Jobs that offer a better wage - say $50,000 or $60,000 a year - are generally going to require a college degree or experience working in that field.

The saying "it's not what you know, it's who you know" is certainly true. I've seen this at work. When management is looking to fill a position, they're much more likely to hire someone who was recommended by an employee. The hospital seldom hires pharmacists right out of school without any experience, but one new grad got the job because someone who formerly worked at St. Joe's recommended her. Also, I question whether all the housekeepers and dishwashers actually have a GED. I tend to believe they get hired if the manager knows them or someone recommends them.

Now for my main objective. I know this may be controversial, but I'm going to put it out there. An 8th or 9th grade education is no longer basic education and is insufficient for the time we live in. A basic education should be high school or equivalent (GED). In Pennsylvania, you have to be 18 to take the GED test. Most 8th graders could probably pass the GED, but after being out of school for 4 years they're going to have a harder time. By the time our young people are 18, they're thinking of going to a unit and getting married. Girls especially are probably not going to be interested in continuing their education because most women in our circles are homemakers and don't have to work to support themselves. However, there are single sisters, widows, and single moms who have to make a living.

Sixteen is the basic minimum age for employment, and there are laws that regulate how many hours a 14 or 15 year old can work. If our school went to 10th grade, students would be 16 when they graduate. An extra two years of school could be spent learning more work skills and better preparing our young people to find employment. Classes could include resume writing, computer skills, CPR and first aid. More time to practice math, grammar, and writing would be an advantage. Our schools are weak on science and social studies because we cram so much in eight years. Further study in those subjects would be an asset.

I don't claim to have answers, but have felt for a long time that we need a better school system. Times have changed since our church schools were established, and maybe it's time to take a closer look at how to better prepare our students for living and working in this modern age.