After 75 Job Rejections, Grad Keeps On Trucking -- Literally

Air Force veteran and college graduate Christopher Self worked his way through school with hopes of obtaining a good corporate job.

But since finishing college in March, Self has had to continue his job as a truck driver to pay the bills. He was rejected from 75 jobs.

Self graduated from a for-profit college called National American University, located in Rapid City, S.D. A National American dean told NPR that graduates need to "keep a positive outlook."

Self, for his part, is doing what he can -- and feels it is his duty to put his college education to use.

"The military helped me out with this degree," he told NPR. "So, essentially the money is coming from the taxpayers, and I really don't want to let it go to waste."

Listen to the full report here.

Comments

[Cassandrawept]

08:07 AM on 06/10/2010

Don't feel too bad. I lived in a private valley and one of our neighbors was a trucker with a good degree. Ex-military too. (My husband was AF, working on the B2). He built a spec house (this was about 1990), and was finishing it while living in it with his wife and kids. I'm sure he went onto a very successful life.

I sometimes think that working for a corporation in a steady, salaried job is the worst possible thing for many intelligent people. There are so many opportunities in the other kinds of businesses that would be more profitable.

[berrycooda]

07:48 PM on 06/09/2010

Trucking jobs will be open...

Wonder why...could it be the imports from Mexico.

And...if they get the rail yard they want in (I think it is in
Virginia) imports will be coming in from the East Coast.

So...if unemployed people in this country are lucky, they
might get one of the trucking jobs before the "in sourced"
workers get them.

[Ro2dawn]

05:56 PM on 06/09/2010

In fact, just this morning I heard a report that says by the end of this year as much as 200,000 jobs will be opening up for truckers.

[PlayTOE]

05:44 PM on 06/09/2010

Self just completed a degree in business administration.
He is working as a trucker ....

My guess is that any trucking firm who hires him into management will have a great employee.

[Democommon Sense]

04:33 PM on 06/09/2010

The military should protect G.I. bill money from these worthless institutions. The military prevents predatory lending which is all these for profit schools are.

[snaggle2th]

03:00 PM on 06/09/2010

A truck driver with an education.

I see absolutely nothing wrong in that. Far too many jobs that require a degree do little or nothing to exploit whatever qualities and abilities education is supposed to help develop.

Not to mention the simple fact that a lot of white-collar jobs taken up by degree holders are no more challenging or demanding than are many blue collar jobs.

I recommend Mathew Crawford's book "Shop Class as Soulcraft" for its insights into the psychic and intellectual pleasures of skilled work.

[SF TKF]

02:43 PM on 06/09/2010

His degree is essentially worthless. It's from a for-profit online university. Most employers who are looking for a college graduate are not going to consider graduates of diploma mills such as this worthy candidates. That’s just the plain and simple truth.

[collegerey]

05:23 PM on 06/09/2010

The degree is from a regionally accredited University. While you may be right about its value to employers, it doesn't mean it is truly worth any more or less than a brick-and-mortar school.

[RickshawJohnson]

04:55 PM on 06/10/2010

Well since it clearly won't ever get him the career opportunities that a degree from a well-known and respected university would, then I would say it is absolutely worth less. Literally.

[davewill]

05:46 PM on 06/09/2010

It's going to depend on what he did while studying, and what he does with his education. But he HAS put himself at a disadvantage.

[martiniandabotoxchaser]

02:10 PM on 06/09/2010

Seventy five rejections is nothing these day...frankly most people don't get any rejections because employers don't even bother to write them back.

[justduckygal]

02:41 PM on 06/09/2010

Amen.

[pat8942]

01:30 PM on 06/09/2010

Wow I never went to college, yet I retired from a well paying job with a defined benefit pension plan,
I know a few college grads my age that still have to work and have no pension, yet they're supposed to be smarter than me.

[martiniandabotoxchaser]

02:10 PM on 06/09/2010

You go to college for an eduction, not just a vocation.

[Pavane]

12:50 AM on 06/10/2010

I am honestly glad for you.

[lovesholiday]

01:22 PM on 06/09/2010

Probably because that degree is worthless from that for-profit university. The next bubble to burst will likely be all those student loans that will default as result for-profit graduates unable to obtain meaningful employment from their worthless degrees.

[hagagaga]

01:15 PM on 06/09/2010

He needs a job.

[saskatoonie]

05:55 PM on 06/09/2010

He has a job, one that you should be thankful that men and women perform every day. Most goods that you consume travel across North America by these skilled individuals.