I read Professor Caplan’s LA Times article “What students know that experts don’t: School is all about signaling, not skill-building” again.
This work product can only have been produced by one immersed in academia and unfamiliar with the reality of today’s workplace.
Professor Bryan Caplan’s article attempts to support two assumptions:
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The main reason firms reward education is because it certifies (or “signals”) brains, work ethic, and conformity."
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Educational austerity is the simplest path back to an economy in which serious on-the-job learning starts during high school–not after college.
With respect to point #1, Professor Caplan might be confusing the granting of an interview with a job offer. Firms grant job interviews to those meeting certain requirements. Job offers are made to those who pass multiple screening tests.
Regarding point #2, serious learning does begin in high school. Maybe Professor Caplan is confusing trade schools with the primary goals of education: Communication Skills & Problem Solving Skills.