According to the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), of every 100 people who start primary school, only 37 go to university. Of these, 19 finish their studies, but only six manage to find a job that allows them to earn the national average of 12,000 a month in less than six months.
Regarding profitability, a higher education graduate takes more than 7.5 years to recover the investment made, if they manage to find a job related to their studies, something that only five out of 10 professionals in Mexico achieve. , according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
This panorama leads us to question ourselves: how many parents have opted to sacrifice their economy to provide a university education for their children? How many of the graduates do not have a job or are not performing functions commensurate with their career?
And with this I do not mean that higher education in Mexico is not useful for anyone. But let’s be honest, having more degrees doesn’t necessarily translate into more income. Actually, having money allows you to get more degrees and certifications. So going to college remains a privilege for some and a highly questionable investment for many.
In the labor market, things are not very different. We cannot deny that when you have zero experience, a degree does not help much to get well-paying jobs. The IMCO says that the first five working years are the real training for the job. And, during this time, the income does not exceed the monthly average of 12,000 pesos.
The lack of educational relevance, that is, the relationship that exists between educational programs with the demands of the labor market, is generating a serious problem, since not only are there few university graduates, but they do not have the necessary knowledge to perform specific activities.
Solving this problem would imply reforming the educational system and reinforcing the teaching staff, which would take years. Therefore, I propose three proposals that will strengthen higher education in Mexico:
1. Bet on certification of skills
It consists of training people to acquire specialized skills, which allow them to have an endorsement and, consequently, have quick access to the labor market with better paid opportunities, and with greater projection. A study prepared by the Northern consultancy ensures that individuals with certifications have 99% higher salaries and shorter working hours than those who do not have an accreditation.
2. Safeguard the well-being of university students
Based on the fact that 70% of young Mexicans drop out of higher education, having competency certifications would allow them to enter the labor market without the need for a university degree, and much cheaper. In addition, the benefit for the industries would be undeniable, since given the growing demand for specific skills, it is necessary to increase the number of trained collaborators.