Education should prepare young people for jobs that do not yet exist, using technologies that have not yet been invented, to solve problems of which we are not yet aware - Richard Riley

My experience as an educator has exposed me to a number of problems present in our education system. None more pervasive than the lack of focus on personal finance and the push for every student to go to college while ignoring technical skills that should be taught in high school.

When I look at the financial picture of the U.S population it is not pretty: $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, 1.2 trillion in car debt, $1 trillion in credit card debt, over half of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, and significant minority not having $400 for an emergency to name a few. And while sure, many of these problems can be attributed to a system not meant for the average person, profiteering on the part of financial institutions, or wages too low to meet people's basic needs (Issues I also hope to address in some capacity). However, they also come down to a population improperly educated on how to manage personal finances and navigate the financial system. Where are the high school classes focused on how to make a budget, how credit cards work, or what it looks like to plan for retirement? While some schools teach information related to this as electives, I would like to see this curriculum as a requirement spread throughout middle and high school.

Similar things can be said about technical training. Instead of using trade/technical classes as electives meant to supplement a student's schedule, they should form the foundation of every high school student's educational plan. Every student who graduates should have a number of marketable skills to prepare them for the workforce regardless of if they decide to attend college.