Most people take things that give them jobs.
This may be true at the college level, but the OP was discussing the content of enrichment opportunities offered to gifted youth. The content of those offerings may be shifting toward a focus on globalism.
A few thoughts on education and jobs in a supply-and-demand economy.
- A debate has been ongoing for decades: the value of liberal arts education (sometimes called classical education, or the education of free people) -vs- career-oriented education (sometimes called vocational training, or the task-oriented training traditionally given to peasants)... the value of each of these may be viewed differently depending upon one's SES.
- In a shrinking economy, more families may be drawn to vocational training for employment in manual tasks which cannot be easily outsourced, providing a semblance of job security, financial stability, and more control over
career length.
-
Technology may replace 40% of jobs in 15 years.
- The US Bureau of Labor Statistics offers this
article on the value of a liberal arts college education (2017), and this
article on the percentage of jobs available at various educational levels (2014).
- There may be a trend toward adding luxuries such as
lazy rivers and
concierge services at colleges, removing many varied learning opportunities. The college experience may then generate a lack of self-reliance rather than the college experience generating "
internal locus of control" and a strong can-do attitude and approach to life.
