In response to growing anxiety about the value of college degrees in securing employment, there is a widespread paradigm that distinguishes between traditional academics and skills-based vocational training—between “the philosopher” and “the welder.” In this video, PUP Speaks author Ben Wildavsky, author of The Career Arts, reveals why college education and job preparation are not either-or propositions and identifies the blend of education and networking needed to support real-world career aspirations. Following years of research into the connections between education and employment, Wildavsky shares the most vital lessons of what he calls the career arts, which include cultivating a mix of broad education, targeted skills, and social capital in order to ensure socioeconomic mobility.
About the Author
Ben Wildavsky is a visiting scholar at the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development. He is the award-winning author of The Great Brain Race (Princeton) and coeditor of Reinventing Higher Education and Measuring Success. He is the host and coproducer of the Higher Ed Spotlight podcast.