Friedman. Thomas L. Average is over

Friedman, Thomas. L.
January 24, 2012 The New York Times (article)
"Average is over"

"because of the quantum advances in globalization and the information technology revolution, which are more rapidly than ever replacing labor with machines or foreign workers.... Therefore, everyone needs to find their extra - their unique value contribution that makes them stand out in whatever is their field of employment. Average is over. "

 I totally agree with the author's idea that workers "with average skills, doing an average job" cannot succeed in living a standard American lifestyle - owning a house in suburban, income around $50,000. The author's solution is that Congress passes a bill which ensures all Americans have access to higher education. But anyone familiar with the costly tuition of university edcuation in the USA which also accounts for a large amount of the national debt knows that "access to post-high school education" itself cannot be a solution after all. To make unversity education affordable, federal and state government need to work cooperatively and universities are to seek for more source of revenue other than students' tuition, such as private company-university partnerships and donations from successful allumni.  

However, there is one thing to keep in mind. Even after ensuring almost all Koreans enjoy university education (approximately 80%), a number of Korean university graduates have a hard time in finding jobs. Unemployment rate in South Korea is not yet serious as 3.1% in 2012. one of the lowest unemployment rate among developed countries. But, youth unemployment rate is 8.0% in January, 2012 according to national bureau of statistics. (USA -The youth unemployment rate was 16.3 percent in July 2013, according to US bureau of labor statistics) Companies complains that college graduates are not equiped with knowleges and skills needed in the workplace.

While passing a kind of G.I bill in U.S and making university education affordable, universities should make money and time of the youth worth by providing them a quality education required for the 21 century.