[jcommin]

My company has hired about 10 new engineering hires. They have come from mostly from in and out of State Universities and one private school. All are from middle income families. Some of these hires went to a junior college before transferring. The all have one thing in common: student loans. There payments are about the size of a high end auto payment. I have a friend who has a daughter who finished med school, has a job and her loan payment is the size of a mortgage payment.

That is a big anchor around a neck for a young person staring out. I couldn't imagine what it must be like to graduate college with loans and either not getting a job or taking "just something" to make money.

There is really something wrong here - we set up a system that convincing young people to get higher education to better themselves. High paying semi skilled factory jobs are gone forever, very few companies invest in apprenticeships - I don't see allot of options. The banking system and government appear to profit very well from this.

I'm lucky to have lived in a time where I worked part time and summers to save enough money and put myself thru school.