John Leverso Blog
Education equals Employment
These days more than ever education equals employment. In decades past all a person needed for employment was a high school diploma. In the twenty first century a high school diploma is simply not
enough. Greater amounts of capital are need today to get a job. When I
am speaking of capital I am referring to the three types of capital that
Bourdieu calls economic capital, cultural capital and social capital. Economic capital is basically money and
property rights. Cultural capital is education and educational qualifications. Social capital is the people one
meets throughout life that become valuable to that person and helps that person
advance in the labor market. Hence the saying,” it’s not what you know it’s who you know”.
In this blog I will argue that cultural capital and to a lesser extentsocial capital are needed to get
and secure a job.
I argue that the main goal of employment is economic capital. Most people need income to support themselves and their families. In this day and age there is a direct correlation between employment and cultural capital. Meaning that culture capital in the form of education is needed to gain
economic capital which is needed to support one’s family and one’s self.
Unemployment rate Education attained Median weekly earnings
in 2011 (Percent) in 2011 (Dollars)
2.5% Doctoral degree 1,551
2.4% Professional degree 1,665
3.6% Master's degree 1,263
4.9% Bachelor's degree 1,053
6.8% Associate degree 768
8.7% Some college, no degree 719
9.4% High School Diploma 638
14.1% Less than a high school diploma 450
These numbers from the department of Labor please (see link at the end of this blog) show that education is directly linked with employment. 14% of people without a high school diploma are unemployed as opposed to
4.9% of those with a Bachelor’s degree. That is almost a 300% increase!
This shows that education will increase the likelihood that one will get employment.
Next I will investigate social capital and its relationship to employment. Networking is needed
to get a job. Most of the jobs I have ever gotten were because I was referred to the job by someone I knew. My friend worked at a restaurant so he talked to the boss and that’s how I became the dishwasher at a pancake house. Social capital in the form of my friend helped me get employment which in turn helped me procure economic capital, my pay check. Networking and social capital increase the likelihood a
person will be employed.
Education and who you know equal employment. That is why we are all in school.
Please don’t misunderstand me I am very happy with sociology and my
career path, but would I invest so much of my time and energy in it if there was
no prospect for economic capital to be gained. Absolutely not, it would be impossible.
I have to feed my family and my level of education greatly improves my chances
of getting and keeping a job. I argue that this is how a capitalist economy operates.
Also social capital helps my chances for employment. For example, I currently work as a research assistant at the University of Illinois Chicago. When I first
started my job I did not know my boss, but after working for my boss for several
months I have come to know her. Moreover, it would not be unfair to say that she is becoming my mentor in
all things school. Last week she emailed me and told me about a competitive internship that I should apply for
and what’s more she will write me a recommendation if needed.
So just by networking and getting a job I met new and influential people. I have gained what could
be a valuable connection in the form of social capital which could increase the
chances I have of getting an internship and after that employment.
http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.txt
Education equals Employment
These days more than ever education equals employment. In decades past all a person needed for employment was a high school diploma. In the twenty first century a high school diploma is simply not
enough. Greater amounts of capital are need today to get a job. When I
am speaking of capital I am referring to the three types of capital that
Bourdieu calls economic capital, cultural capital and social capital. Economic capital is basically money and
property rights. Cultural capital is education and educational qualifications. Social capital is the people one
meets throughout life that become valuable to that person and helps that person
advance in the labor market. Hence the saying,” it’s not what you know it’s who you know”.
In this blog I will argue that cultural capital and to a lesser extentsocial capital are needed to get
and secure a job.
I argue that the main goal of employment is economic capital. Most people need income to support themselves and their families. In this day and age there is a direct correlation between employment and cultural capital. Meaning that culture capital in the form of education is needed to gain
economic capital which is needed to support one’s family and one’s self.
Unemployment rate Education attained Median weekly earnings
in 2011 (Percent) in 2011 (Dollars)
2.5% Doctoral degree 1,551
2.4% Professional degree 1,665
3.6% Master's degree 1,263
4.9% Bachelor's degree 1,053
6.8% Associate degree 768
8.7% Some college, no degree 719
9.4% High School Diploma 638
14.1% Less than a high school diploma 450
These numbers from the department of Labor please (see link at the end of this blog) show that education is directly linked with employment. 14% of people without a high school diploma are unemployed as opposed to
4.9% of those with a Bachelor’s degree. That is almost a 300% increase!
This shows that education will increase the likelihood that one will get employment.
Next I will investigate social capital and its relationship to employment. Networking is needed
to get a job. Most of the jobs I have ever gotten were because I was referred to the job by someone I knew. My friend worked at a restaurant so he talked to the boss and that’s how I became the dishwasher at a pancake house. Social capital in the form of my friend helped me get employment which in turn helped me procure economic capital, my pay check. Networking and social capital increase the likelihood a
person will be employed.
Education and who you know equal employment. That is why we are all in school.
Please don’t misunderstand me I am very happy with sociology and my
career path, but would I invest so much of my time and energy in it if there was
no prospect for economic capital to be gained. Absolutely not, it would be impossible.
I have to feed my family and my level of education greatly improves my chances
of getting and keeping a job. I argue that this is how a capitalist economy operates.
Also social capital helps my chances for employment. For example, I currently work as a research assistant at the University of Illinois Chicago. When I first
started my job I did not know my boss, but after working for my boss for several
months I have come to know her. Moreover, it would not be unfair to say that she is becoming my mentor in
all things school. Last week she emailed me and told me about a competitive internship that I should apply for
and what’s more she will write me a recommendation if needed.
So just by networking and getting a job I met new and influential people. I have gained what could
be a valuable connection in the form of social capital which could increase the
chances I have of getting an internship and after that employment.
http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.txt