Editorial Column for Daily Herald
For Publication: 4/16/08

The More You Learn—The Better Your Job
Dr. Ervin V. Griffin, Sr.
President, Halifax Community College

In one of my columns last year, I talked about what an education is worth. To recap the Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2002 indicated that individuals who earn at least a two-year, post-secondary vocational or technical degree could expect to earn almost $1.5 million over a 40-year career. A two-year college degree can average just over $1.5 million. High school graduates can expect to earn around $1.2 million. Those who drop out of school will earn only about $800,000 over the same time period. That is a significant difference and shows that higher levels of education and training substantially boost lifetime earnings.

According to 2005 N.C. Rural Economic Development Center, Rural Data Bank statistics, the population of Halifax County stands at more than 55,000, while the state has a total population of well over eight million. The county's poverty rate is around 29 percent, which is the second highest in the state. The median household income of below $29,000 places us 94^th out of 100 counties. Only 65% of our county's residents are high school graduates or higher. We still have a lot of work to do in this area to enable the citizens of Halifax County the chance to reach their full earning potential.

Even with these challenging numbers, HCC has served 17 percent of the total population of Halifax County this year. Our headcount for 2007-08 for curriculum students totaled more than 2,600 students. Our occupational and extension students numbered more than 4,200 and basic skills served an additional 1,300. We have served a total of 9,592 citizens since July 1, 2007.  We hope to serve even more citizens in the future.

In thinking about this topic, I discovered some interesting figures recently. In a study completed by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a “good” job is defined as one that provides health insurance, a pension plan and earnings of at least $17 per hour. The center found that high-paying jobs with benefits are down, especially for those with little education.

In 1979, workers with no high school diploma made up almost 15 percent of those with “good” jobs. Compare that to 2005, where those with no high school diploma hold only about 4 percent of the good jobs. In 1979, about 21 percent of workers with good jobs were high school graduates compared to 2005, where only about 14 percent of those with good jobs were high school graduates.  Even with a high school diploma the percent of workers with good jobs declined.

Workers with less than desirable jobs have greatly increased. In 1979, about 40 percent of the workers who did not have a high school diploma filled the “bad” jobs—those that paid less than $17 per hour with no benefits. In 2005, about 60 percent of those who filled bad jobs did not have a high school diploma. In 1979, about 30 percent of those with bad jobs were high school graduates. In 2005, about 36 percent of workers with bad jobs were high school graduates.

Workers with good jobs:	Workers with bad jobs:
Source: John Schmitt, Center for Economic and Policy Research (U.S.)

From the President's Perspective, I want to encourage everyone to graduate from high school or get a GED and go on to college. At HCC, we can help you earn an associate's degree, certificate or diploma. Our continuing education division can also help you build new skills, certifications, and update your training in your current position. We can also help those students seeking baccalaureate degrees transfer to the college of their choice. Remember— in the long run, the more you learn, the more you will earn, and the better your job will be.

Feel free to send me an email message at president@halifaxcc.edu with your thoughts or ideas. Also, to learn about our current or new programs—stop by campus, call us at (252) 536-HCC1 (4221), or visit us online at www.halifaxcc.edu.