NO Diploma? NO WORK! by: Catherine C. Powell

My boss asked if I would assist a client's daughter, Alicia with putting together her resume. I knew this would be a quick and easy task. The clients who usually need assistance with putting together a resume: a) don't have a resume, b) have little to no professional work experience, and c) have no notable skills (which always results in me inputting the same dry, overused lines in the skills section. And that's if they're lucky enough to have basic competency of the inner workings of an office and know how to use a computer beyond surfing the internet.

Alicia's work experience consisted of an in-home child care gig that she held since 2006. Prior to that, she worked at a supermarket for two months. Dandy. I sit in front of the computer, delving into the recesses of my brain for a way to enhance the duties she performed as a "child care provider" and a cashier. Translation: I need to come up with some bullshit and make this chick sound like she was freakin' Mary Poppins. Do you think I had such luck? Not a chance. Her employment history was extremely weak, and there's not much I could do to build it up. Moving on. Next, there was the education and skills section. Writing the skills section was going to be a nightmare, like having your tooth pulled without Novocain. On to the education section we go. The conversation went something like this:

Me: Where did you go to high school?

Alicia: Brookfield. [pause] And I also went to Palmer and Parkland.

Me: When did you go to Brookfield?

Alicia: Tenth and eleventh I think.

Me: [realizes that the only school that needs to go on her resume is the one that she graduated from] actually the other schools don't matter, just the one you graduated from. Did you graduate from Brookfield?

Alicia: No

Me: Palmer or Parkland?

Alicia: No

Me: [confused, turns to face Alicia] Soooooo, you didn't graduate?

Alicia: No

Me: [blank stare for a few seconds] Oh ok. [blank stare continues] Um, did you get your GED?

Alicia: No

At this point, my face is literally stuck at her response. I am flabbergasted. My reaction is not merely because she did not finish high school, I am only mildly surprised at that revelation. It is our exchange prior to her educational background, or lack thereof, that makes me think "Well, isn't this fuckin great? What the hell am I supposed to do now? What the hell are YOU [Alicia] supposed to do now?"

I'm 23 and Alicia is 20. We live in the same city, five minutes from one another to be exact, and yet we are years and worlds apart. Alicia would like to find a job working at a daycare with children, but I know that without a diploma, even if she did find a job opening, it is highly unlikely that she would be hired. I slowly and sadly tap backspace, and the words "EDUCATION" disappear. I then realize that in the working world, the business world, Alicia has already disappeared. Not only does she not have a diploma, but she is not certified.
Trying to make lemonade out of this situation, I inquire about where she has already applied, and suggest other places she might want to try. I didn't want her to leave without applying for at least one job so I suggest that we do some job searching. I went to craigslist.com but there were surprisingly minimal postings, and from what was listed, she was not qualified to do. She said to me, "I wouldn't even mind sitting at a desk, you know, doing office work." I couldn't even look at her so I stare at the screen and say, "The chances of finding administrative or secretarial work without at least a diploma or equivalency is slim to none," I said. "We're having no luck here; I'm going to try something else."

What next? Government jobs! Or even better, county jobs! We live in a rural area and since Alicia doesn't have a car, the closer the job the better. I went to the website for both Prince George's County and Charles County. While looking through job openings for P.G. I see an opening for lunch and recess monitors and inwardly smiled. At least she would be able to apply for one job before going home. It's a temporary position that pays $8.81 per hour for 2-3 hours per day. Cool. BUT WAIT. As I continue to scroll through the description, three words jump out at me: high school diploma. "High school diploma or its equivalent..." it reads. You need a diploma to be a lunch and recess monitor?! "I can't believe you need a diploma to monitor meals for 3 hours a day," I said to Alicia. I really want to turn to her and say menacingly, "Girl, you better get your damn GED!" Of course I refrain from doing so. It makes me laugh when I recall how those of us with college degrees say that you can't do anything without at least a bachelor's. And of course when we say this what we really mean is that you can't find what we define as a decent, well-paying job without a bachelor's. You can't do ANYTHING without a high school Diploma/GED. You can't even watch some bad kids run around the playground without a diploma. I know that they don't want just any Tom, Dick, and Harry applying for the job, but DAMN.

When Alicia mentions that she applied to work at the new Target that is being built near where we live, and I came up with the bright idea of trying to find out what other stores will be in the same shopping center so that she can apply to those as well. While I search for information on the shopping center she calls Target to check on her application. It was a great thing that she called because someone informed her that there was a problem with her application due to her social security number. It had been incorrectly put into the system because her handwriting had been hard to read. I smile and say to her, "Perhaps this is a good sign and means you'll get a job working there." She to smiles to and and says, "I hope so."

While calling a few other places of interest, I finally have the nerve to ask Alicia if she's interested in obtaining her GED. I find out that she had been attending classes, but had to stop because she no longer had transportation. I was DYING to volunteer but I had class on Wednesday nights, when the GED class was offered. I spoke with her briefly about not giving up on getting her GED, and I only hope that something I said sunk in. Eventually there was nothing left for us to do. I spiffed up her less than 500 words resume with a couple of nice fonts and printed it out. "Thanks for all of your help," she says. "No problem," I respond.

Can Alicia find a job? Sure, she could do fast food or retail, or a few other jobs. But for a young, pretty, able young woman wanting to break the cycle of generational poverty that is not enough. Her paternal grandmother lives in an infested shack, her mother hasn't worked in years, her father can't hold a job, and her two brothers are both in the ninth grade, one of them repeating it for the THIRD time. Will Alicia ever have a career, not just a job, but a CAREER? She wants more for herself than what she's grown up having, but just how is she going to obtain it? She wants so much more for herself, she is detrimentally unmotivated.

No diploma plus no degree equals no credibility. Alicia will become another "awful" statistic. I hope and PRAY that she won't turn out like another one of our clients, a young woman under thirty with seven kids under twelve who is on welfare and section 8 and seems to be content on staying there until it rains cats and dogs.

Before Alicia leaves I ask her, "Why didn't you graduate from high school?" Her arms are folded across her chest and she stared at the floor. "I don't know," she responded, "I guess I just got bored."

Our Turn

This year’s presidential election has a lot of political observers astonished with the growth of young voter participation. Political organizations and politicians have been trying to mobilize young voters for years- but this time it seems to be working.

In 1990, Rock the Vote Campaign a non-partisan organization began registering young people to vote. Since 1992, MTV has hosted its annual “Choose or Loose” a town- hall style meeting with candidates from both major political parties. Young voters get a chance to ask questions about their concerns.

What seems to be the driving force among young people? The answers are simple; the economy, the war in Iraq, affordable college tuition and lack of trust for the government. Some economic analysts believe that the U.S. has entered into a recession that will directly impact voters. The downward spiral of the economy causes alarm for college seniors who will face employment difficulty in the job market.

Young people are galvanized and are demanding the federal government take swift action to help stimulate the economy. The war in Iraq also hits home. Many young people have had family members, friends and associates who have fought in the war. Some experts estimate that the total cost of this war could amount to $1 trillion. According to the latest estimates nearly 5,000 troops have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tens of thousands of soldiers have been wounded in combat and it seems there is no end in sight.

Young people are realizing that this affects them just as much as the men and women fighting for our freedom. College tuition is out of control. State and private tuition costs are at an all time high. Many students are facing the option of not attending classes this fall or reducing their class schedules. Many young voters are cynical about the government; many view politicians as pawns to the corporate lobbyists who lack interest in the concerns of the American people.

According to The Century Foundation and the Youth vote 2008. “Turnout among 18- to 24-year-olds grew by nearly one-third between 2000 and 2004, from 36 percent to 47 percent. In, 2006 saw significant youth-vote gains for a midterm election as well. The highest voter turnout ever was during the 1992 election with when 48.6 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds and 52 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds voted. This year’s election seems that it could peek or be about the same”.

Since the first primary in Iowa, voter participation this year has doubled that of 2004. Moreover, every state that has voted has seen an increase in voter registration particularly among young people. This year’s voter participation has favored the Democratic Party in part because of Sen. Barack Obama. Obama has energized my generation with his message of change.

I must confess that, I too, was cynical about my government. I’ve been privileged to work on two national campaigns; 2004 Kerry/Edwards presidential campaign and the 2006 mid-term elections helping democrats regain control of Congress. The experiences were great, but I began to loose hope in our politicians and government. I saw first hand what was going on behind closed doors; political maneuvering, backstabbing-- you name it, I witnessed it. Senator Obama’s candidacy has had a huge impact and continues to drive young people to go to the polls, support him financially and help get out the vote.

Studies show that increased voter participation extends beyond college students to young people from all walks of life, including the working, unemployed, Asians, Hispanics, White, and Black. Young people are rallying behind a common purpose the idea and hunger for change and real solutions for our nation’s problems.

The Republican Party has sought to motivate young people to go to the polls this November. Governor Sarah Palin is part of the answer. Studies show most young people are not affiliated with a particular political party or ideology. They want to see who best can tackle the issues and try to solve them. Young people are fired up and want to see our country regain its prestige in the world and see a government that cares about them.

I will make a prediction, if whomever wins the presidency and does not bring about substantive change; young voter participation could decline significantly and it may take another generation for the type of enthusiasm we are experiencing right now. The country is seeing that young people do care and are aware of the issues. With pride we can say, it’s our turn.