Students are graduating from college with an average $20,000 in debt??? That’s not what I would call a good way to ’start’ your life. So you work and work and work, and maybe you get it all paid back, and THEN you can start saving for a house and providing a solid foundation for a family. I say this is a bad system. We tell our children “If you want to make a good living, to get higher paying jobs, to better yourself and your community, you need to go to college” Here’s a GREAT idea on how to manage our future college students and the growing costs of getting a degree:

Tell these students:
YES, we will give you a loan to pay for your education, and yes, you have to pay it back…
BUT….if, when you graduate, you commit to 4 or more years of CIVIL SERVICE, we will forgive your education loan. Civil service jobs pay less. You take this low-paying job and lend your expertise to this area, and we will reap the benefits of your educated service, and you get actual job experience.

Let’s use a law student and a state county as an example.

The law student goes straight to his career of choice after graduation and applies to that prestigious big-city law firm he’s been eyeing. IF he was an exceptional student, he might get hired. THEN he spends the next ten to THIRTY YEARS repaying his college loans.

I propose he goes to work upon graduation with the county or state. There are numerous departments that will benefit from his education, but couldn’t afford to hire him at the ‘going rate’. He does the exact same thing he would be doing with a private firm, benefits the community, makes a difference in the level of service the county or state can provide, and does it all for the same wages a non-degreed county employee makes.

In four years, he’s not weighed down with education debt, and goes to that firm and applies. NOW he has not only his track record as an exceptional student, but actual work experience in applying that education. And if he worked hard and was dedicated to his civil service job, he WILL be able to say
“I made a difference to that community by [fill in the blank].”
“I developed [fill in the blank] for this service area”
Because THAT’S what civil servants do. Each of their jobs and positions affects the lives of the people living in their community, from city to county, state to federal. He can’t walk away from a civil service job without seeing, and learning, what an impact these areas have on others. In my opinion, that law firm is going to look more favorably upon him as a potential employee than the kid straight out college he was just 4 years ago.

Maybe, as a civil servant myself, I’m biased to this idea. I think it’s a great idea. I think the added benefits to everyone, including the student, are well worth the initial investment from government. Over the life of the student, he will more than make up the cost of the loan through his tax-paying and purchasing power (remember, he’s not making college loan payments!), not to mention the great service he will provide as a civil servant.

No, this plan isn’t for everyone. And there will be those who will try to float through their time as a civil servant doing little or nothing to benefit the areas they serve. But all in all, who loses? I think about those students who WANTED to be public school teachers to begin with, but can’t afford to repay their college loans on a public school teacher’s salary. Whole generations of young people lose the level of teaching this person would have brought to them. Some of the college students who take part in this type of plan may find great reward and satisfaction in civil service, and decide to stay in those positions.

Now, who to talk to about actually trying to find a way to fund and implement this plan????

All in favor….raise your hand!