Teachers: If you need a quick visual to emphasize to students the link between education and employment show them these graphs. Students: If you need a reminder as to the importance of education and future employment, PLEASE look at these too.

There is a lot going on in this first graph, but it is important to know what is happening.

The vertical axis shows the percentage change in employment (jobs gained) since the official start of the Great Recession, through the official end of the recession (everything to the left of Jan 2010) and finally through the "recovery" to the present (everything in blue).

Note the bold brackets to the right showing the numerical change in jobs based on the level of education a worker has. 

More education does not guarantee you anything but statistically you are more likely to (1) find a job, (2) not lose your job, (3) if you do lose your job you are more likely to find another one in a shorter period of time.


Source: KPC


 This second graph shows the value of education over an extended period of time--since 1989.

Dropping out or even finishing high school is not enough. ANY type of additional education will help you gain skills that make you more valuable to employers. 


Source: KPC