Retention
Society benefits from better graduation numbers by having more students successfully enter the work force and decrease those needing government assistance.
Elizabeth, theoretically the programs offered by our schools have been aligned with job market need. That doesn't eliminate the issue of a student deciding not to pursue employment in their field. There are only two reasons for things not happening: unwilling or unable.
Finances are one of the biggest culprits for drop outs. They must go work full time just to survive and will come back... but don't. And they are on the welfare system again. While some do enter the work force and end up on welfare programs or can't find a job, it is often because they didn't research the need in the area before attending school. My brother is an example. He has a bachelor's degree and works part time at Ikea. Why? His degree is theater arts. Practicality is important when searching the job market, even though they do shift. Expectations about what the job will be are important too. "Nurse" sounds like a dignified position (and it is) but it also comes with aspects that are less than attractive, such as body fluids, long hours, infections.
Adult being the key word here. Many of the graduates that enter into schools after having been in the work force previously are much more likely to find employment in their field of study than those who haven't had the experience of a bad job.
Hello Mr. Dave Batcheller, If we can combine all schools alike, I see that there are a large number of adult graduates that are being released into society. Unfortunately, not all of them are successfully entering into the workforce of their studied field. Many graduates end up accepting whatever jobs they can find which can still be good for our society because they are working. However, how frustrating it can be to the graduate after all the exhausted effort of successfully graduating from school but yet still end up on government assistant and now owe for a school loan. Yes, we still do what we can to retain the student in school until they graduate. Beyond graduation, there still can be hard work for faculty and staff to assist the graduate to find employment in which there is no guarantee, we just hope for the best for them out there in society. So government assistance may decrease or it may increase with the population of non-working graduates we have today. (I don't know the percentages but I can do the research and get back with you).
