Book Review – Answering Why by Mark C. Perna

Hello, everyone! Welcome to this month’s book review! Today, we’ll be discussing Answering Why by Mark C. Perna! Many thanks to C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists for sending us a copy! The review is of my own opinions!

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Personally, I wish I had a book like this as my high school or even my middle school reading assignment. As the Kyrabe Stories blog focuses on affordable educational opportunities, Answering Why goes even more in-depth as to discover what amount of education is actually necessary for our preferred fields!

According to Credit.com, the average student loan debt is a little over thirty thousand dollars!

Even worse, the total student loan debt is over one trillion dollars! This is outrageous! Even worse is that many students who are now in a higher range of debt are having difficulties acquiring jobs that will pay enough to cover the loan fees along with living expenses!

And the rotten sprinkles on top of this mess?

Many students finish college while still not sure what they want to be. As Mark C. Perna greatly summed this up within Answering Why (pg. 166), “far too many young people today are heading off to college without a plan because they and their parents are being sold the notion that they are better off getting that diploma, regardless of the field of study.”

How do we go about preparing students for their preferred careers BEFORE they get trapped into debt!? This is what Answering Why is about along with what motivates the Millennials and the Gen Z to pursue and commit to these paths.

Regardless of if you are preparing for college, are a parent of teenagers/young adults, are a business owner searching for new talent, are a counselor, or whatever, this book provides amazing insight into how we can help guide our avid learners toward what they’ll be passionate about! We can also help determine what amount of continuing education an individual needs to pursue those career tracks BEFORE falling into unnecessary debt!

Listed below are some of the lessons I learned within the pages of Answering Why which I hope will encourage you to give this book a chance as well!

The 1:2:7 ratio states that for every occupation that requires a master’s degree or more, two professional jobs require a university degree, and over half a dozen jobs require a one-year certificate or two-year degree. This holds true across all industries. (pg. 30)

Freakin’ WHAT!? Now, this ratio greatly depends on one’s desired field of study, of course, but how would you feel if you were thirty thousand dollars in debt and learned later that a certification that cost a fraction of that degree could have still qualified you for an entry-level position!? I would be FURIOUS, but that’s what many new graduates are coming to realize! Work experience is becoming more valued than a fancy diploma for even entry-level positions!

(And I need to input a personal mini-rant here, but PLEASE stop requiring 3-5 years of experience for an ENTRY-LEVEL POSITION in the job posting! 1-2 years, maybe, but 3 freakin’ years of experience isn’t ENTRY! Okay, mini-rant over.)

We have to get beyond how we have stigmatized non-college career paths, as if those individuals who choose them are pursuing lesser dreams than their college-bound counterparts. With the best of intentions, we as a nation are doing our young people – and our economy – a grave disservice.  (pg. 206)

Here’s a little experiment. Try it with a friend if you want. I’m going to list off a few possible career paths. How do you mentally and emotionally react to each one?

Construction, Engineer Technician, Plumber, Pipe-Fitter, Dental Assistant, Automotive Mechanic, HVAC, Surgical Technologist, Computer Support Specialist, Hairdresser, Web Developer, Fitness Trainer

Did you react more positively or negatively to certain positions? Why? Conflict of interests? Do some roles feel like they’re less “ethical” to do? Again, why? Once again, answers will vary so try this with a friend!

Do you know what these ranging career paths have in common? According to The Balance Careers, each of these career paths just requires a certification to start you off at entry-level!

Personally, I grew up thinking that Plumbing and Mechanics were “too dirty” of a job for me. That’s because I mainly imagined butt cracks in front of clogged toilets and oil-covered coveralls. Ironically enough, I went into the Navy as an Aviation Structural Mechanic for H-60 helicopters (long story for another day) and realized that mechanics…yes, was dirty at times…but it was also rewarding when it came to ensuring that those helicopters were always prepared for surprise rescue missions!

It’s also just like how plumbing isn’t just about boo-boo water but ensuring that every home has the fundamental components it needs to allow for our water appliances to function properly. As with many other roles, there’s so much that goes into the position beyond the stereotyping images we see posted everywhere!

We neglect to explain what opportunities are out there and what it actually means to be a part of that career! As long as stigma grows among certain amazing fields, many affordable opportunities will be overlooked and neglected!

The question shouldn’t be just about getting young people ready for college. Rather, it should be about preparing them for careers for which college is one of many available options. (pg.7)

I was lucky. Although I too believed that I NEEDED to go to college and earn a four-year degree in order to make a livable wage one day, I didn’t know what I wanted to go to school for. Growing up in Alabama, the main things I knew about college options were Business, Nursing, Teacher, Writing, and mentally preparing for Alabama vs. Auburn rivalry no matter where I was at. I knew that I was drawn to creativity, but I didn’t realize what options were out there. 

Storytime!

Back in my senior year of high school, I used to spend a lot of my free time drawing and writing. One day while sitting in my bedroom, I had characters scattered all across the floor for a story I was working on while partially paying attention to the Nickelodeon reruns playing on my box-TV. For the last few months, I had been flustered about graduation because I STILL had no idea what I wanted to go to college for. My mom came in, examined the scene, pointed to the cartoons playing, and just casually stated, “You know you can go to college for that, right?”

My brain was still processing what the heck she was trying to tell me. Cartoons? Wait, there are colleges out there that’ll teach me how to make my own cartoons!? I jumped online and found that I could go to school for Computer Animation! OMG!!!!!! I wanted this so badly that I up and joined the Navy to help fund it (art school is expensive)!

Had I known earlier that this path existed, I would have planned my high school classes around this career path! Still, I’m one of the lucky ones that were told about an option that I genuinely wanted to do, even if the preparation was late and rushed decisions were made in order to obtain it. 

By starting career exploration earlier, in middle school or even elementary school, we could engage students in their learning for the purpose of someday finding a career they value as much as the salary required to support the lifestyle they want. By connecting their interests, skills, and talents to academic learning, providing contextual learning with career-focused paths, and emphasizing Professional Skills, we can propel students toward career readiness – regardless of the education, certification, or experience their chosen career area may require. (Answering Why, pg. 133-134) 

Now let’s hear from you!

Are you wishing to pursue additional education? What are you interested in studying? What are some activities that you love to do? Are there positions out there that match your interests? Are there any lessons that you wish that you’d known before going to college? Please share your advice and opinions in the comments below!

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And as always, remember to just live your life one story at a time!

Take care,

Kyndall Bennett from Kyrabe Stories

P.S. If you have decided to take the college path, then come check out our guest post by Anna Serio from Finder on 8 Tips to Save on College Expenses!