There are some points to consider as you make career decisions. In my experience I have found that career decisions are often considered at an age when an individual still has a lack of clarity about a specific career choice decision. Many personal circumstances need to be considered including costs, distance, time, family commitments, transportation, and how accessible a College is. Very often there is a perception that success at post-secondary is too difficult so it gets dismissed. Some individuals may perceive College as lesser quality or rigor than similar University programs, or not transferable.
There are a number of studies that have demonstrated clearly that students who study at College have better opportunities to secure work that is more stable over time. While going directly into the workforce does have immediate financial benefits, in today’s world of technological advancements an option exists to be able to go to College and continue with your work and career at the same time. In fact more and more educational systems have moved to delivering programs that make it easy to continue working and attend College at the same time.
In British Columbia 90% of college graduates find work within six months. A graduate of a two-year college program will likely earn an annual salary that is 51% higher than an individual with only high school completion. These numbers grow with additional years of post-secondary education.
An amazing statistic is that in British Columbia students who attend College first and then transfer those credits into a University program will be as successful in getting satisfactory grades as somebody who went directly into university. There is no difference in the final analysis.
This makes College very attractive. It is less expensive because it is closer to where you live. It gives you a chance to try higher level study without enormous investment of operating two households—perhaps two rents– in two different communities. The tuition for the same courses is often substantially less at a college. Finally, if you eventually choose to go to university, you will have more confidence that you can actually do it and you will be just as successful as those who spent more resources to go directly there.