Free-market education plan

The Governor's Commission on Educational Excellence, the business-led "Prosperity 2020" and the State Board of Regents have all adopted the goal of having two-thirds of the adult population of Utah possess some form of post-secondary education credential by the year 2020. The conversation of the two-thirds goal has triggered a spirited discussion about what these "post secondary education" credentials should be. The Georgetown University study — identifying Utah as needing this percentage of well-educated adults in order to prosper — said the goal should be broken down to consist of 12 percent needing at least a one-year certificate in a trade or job classification and 54 percent possessing a baccalaureate or higher degree.

It appears that adoption of this ambitious goal is being misinterpreted by some in the Legislature and public. The recurring argument states we need more students directed toward careers with large payoffs for contribution to the state's economic base. I have heard many times that we shouldn't be encouraging students to enroll in political science, psychology or the arts, to name a few. Some have even suggested that we should find ways to financially penalize liberal arts students and reward engineering students.

There is a place for career and technical education — our eight colleges and universities provide it to over 73,000 students a year. But these fields are not for everyone nor would our society or economy function very well without career diversity. This focus on more career-specific college degrees misses three critical points.

First, we can't predict the jobs of the future, or what they will entail. Second, it's becoming increasingly known that business leaders are looking for well-educated students with communication skills, global awareness, critical thinking and technology skills that can be applied to various occupations. The American Association of Colleges and Universities surveyed thousands of business leaders and learned they want employees who have a full skill set enabling them to provide business leadership, providing that leadership in an ethical way.

The final point that advocates of career-specific degrees miss is that America is competitive with the world not despite, but because of, innovation, creativity and performance. Utah is rich in students who have incredible musical and artistic skills. What Utah and the rest of the country needs to prosper in the future is to unleash creativity and innovation.

The broader construct in understanding this debate is supporting a free-market approach to education and career decision-making. Whether seeking a philosophy or engineering degree, the ability for an individual to pursue the American dream should be celebrated rather than criticized.