Luke Redd

Digging Deeper into the Relationship Between Education and Income

The more education you have, the more money you can make. Right? Well, actually, things aren't quite so simple. The national averages on the correlation between education level and earnings potential don't tell the full story. There's a lot more to consider if you really want to secure a top-paying career and a strong financial future.

Green Jobs: Environmental Fantasy or Tomorrow’s Common Reality? Part 5

While there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful that a green-jobs revolution will materialize in America, there are also still a number of big obstacles that could stop any progress towards prosperous sustainability. The challenge might be even greater than going to the moon. Despite the uncertainties, though, many opportunities exist right now for anyone hoping to have a career in renewable energy and clean technology. Several U.S. cities are home to burgeoning green industries, and new environmental training programs are sprouting up all over the place. So, what will the future be?

Green Jobs: Environmental Fantasy or Tomorrow’s Common Reality? Part 4

Americans don't like to lose, but global competition in the renewable energy sector is fierce. China now leads the clean technology race. And with so much uncertainty about the fate of domestic manufacturing and the coming worker shortage in the energy utility sector, the prospect for a green-job revolution seems to hang in the balance. Will America rise to the challenge and use it to regain a leadership position?

Green Jobs: Environmental Fantasy or Tomorrow’s Common Reality? Part 3

If money makes the world go ’round, then creating a green economy will require lots of it. Governments and private investors have already contributed a lot of cash to the cause of environmental technology and green-job creation—with mixed results. But with sustainability driving so much future planning, there’s likely much more to come.

Green Jobs: Environmental Fantasy or Tomorrow’s Common Reality? Part 2

Pride for country is a hallmark of American culture. So is the desire for independence, security and good health. Each of these U.S. values may provide substantial momentum toward environmental sustainability, along with green jobs in renewable energy and other clean technologies.

Green Jobs: Environmental Fantasy or Tomorrow’s Common Reality? Part 1

There is a whole lot of confusion and uncertainty surrounding the vision of millions of green jobs being created in America. It hasn’t helped that renewable energy and other clean technologies are so closely linked with the need to stop climate change. In fact, once you get beyond the fear of global warming, there are many other forces contributing to the development of a sustainable future and the environmental careers that could come with it. So, just what are the prospects for the green jobs that so many promise?

Career College Scapegoating Keeps Student Potential in Detention

Something is wrong in the world of post-secondary learning. If you’ve been paying attention to mainstream media outlets or well-publicized hearings in Washington, D.C. lately, you probably know where the blame is being placed. For-profit institutions of higher education—also known as proprietary career colleges, technical institutes and business universities—are under the spotlight due to the shameful practices of a few schools. But lost amidst all the lambasting of the entire for-profit college sector is any meaningful acknowledgment that many traditional colleges and universities are also exhibiting disgraceful conduct and questionable student outcomes. Are journalists and lawmakers missing the bigger picture?

Why it can be so dreadfully difficult to make good decisions about your college education - Part 1

Everyone knows it’s good to have lots of options. But, what if everybody is wrong? What if our assumption that more choice is always better is actually doing us harm? A growing body of research suggests that our ability to make decisions is damaged when the number of available choices exceeds more than a simple handful. If you’re trying to choose a salad dressing, that might be no big deal. But what if you have a life-altering decision to make? Few occasions feel as hugely important as choosing a college and course of study. The stress caused by trying to choose the “right” school or career from an endless sea of options can be paralyzing, or worse.

Top five ways to build a visual portfolio that gets you hired

You might be a creative genius. Really. You might possess such skillful talent that people would be crazy not to hire you. But whatever your intended career in visual communications—graphic design, illustration, photography, whatever—you won’t get far without a kick-butt portfolio. How else are your potential clients or employers supposed to identify your practical artistry? So you need to do it up right.

Top five things you should know before pursuing a career as an architect

Architects shape our environments. Their work can have powerful effects on our lives. So it’s only natural to think of architecture as a career full of meaning and prestige. But before a romanticized notion of what architecture offers its practitioners takes you in, you might want to pause and examine things more closely. For every happy, fulfilled architect, there are others that feel the profession has provided far less satisfaction than they could have expected.

Top five most promising careers in music for non-musicians

The music business is undergoing sweeping changes. The power structure that once provided luxurious lifestyles for record company executives is shrinking in influence by the day. People are finding countless new ways to discover and share their music. It’s wild out there. So if you’re a musician, you just keep performing. But how do you earn a living in this new musical landscape if you can’t play a lick, write a song or carry a tune?

Why I left a big university for a shot at social sanity

Universities promise the chance to meet new people, make lifelong friends and learn wonderful things in an environment that supports everyone. Living on campus is supposed to bring memorable good times. It’s true—college dormitories are great if you want to “sow some wild oats.” But what if you’d rather just eat the boring variety while you study? What if you’re painfully shy? One thing is certain: dorms do provide unforgettable experiences.

How to make sense of the confusing clutter of post-secondary academic credentials

Common wisdom says you go to college if you want a good job. That advice is clearly debatable. But assuming you do decide to pursue some kind of post-secondary education, you’ve got a lot to consider. And one of the most challenging aspects of figuring out the best educational path for your needs comes in the form of picking which academic credentials to pursue. What’s the difference between a bachelor’s and an associate degree, or between a master’s and doctorate? And what’s a certificate or diploma good for anyway? Things are murkier than you may imagine.

How to build a career that can change the world (or at least a little part of it)

It's so much easier to go to work every day when you feel you're doing something important. If you've got the drive to leave the world a better place than you found it, then you aren't as likely to be sucked in by hollow promises of fame or fortune. Instead, you're moved by the chance to innovate, to create a meaningful legacy. Unfortunately, there are no blueprints for making revolutionary contributions. But there are practices that can greatly improve your odds.

How to cope with the suffocating pressure of not knowing which career to pursue

When the hottest girl in the art building interrupted me, I knew something was wrong. “Whoa! That's scary cool,” she said. “Ya want somebody to talk to about that?” I didn't understand the question. So I fixated on her cat-like eyes as if I could grab the meaning telepathically. But her wily smile caused me to admire the rest of the scene. She was a china doll in a James Dean leather jacket.

Why the 21st century brings more opportunities for doing well by doing good

Working for a living can be a real drag, especially when you can’t tell if what you’re doing even matters in the larger scheme of things. You don’t want to waste your life doing something meaningless—the world has too many problems that need solving! But throwing yourself into the service of others without a chance at living well yourself doesn’t seem so balanced. That’s why a wave of caring innovation is sweeping across the world, creating new ways for people to be part of the solution. So if you want to make a real difference while also tending to your own dreams, the coming decades will offer more chances to do just that.

Why biotechnology will likely dominate the 21st century

A cure for aging? It's a long shot. But with the incredible advancements already being made in the field of biotechnology, almost anything seems possible. Within the next few decades, society may be radically transformed by our awesome power to manipulate plants, humans, and many other biological systems. This means exciting new career opportunities for those brave enough to enter a sector that will bring plenty of controversy and ethical debate. Biotech will come to impact just about everybody, making it impossible to ignore. It will need smart, daring and responsible people of integrity. Are you game?

Top five things you should know about working in the golf industry

A career in golf: it’s the dream of many. If it’s yours, you’d better know what that ambition truly means. For while the golf business can provide a way to love your work, it doesn’t come without a lot of effort. You don’t need to join the PGA tour to earn a living in golf, but you do need to have a well-rounded understanding of the game—and the industry. Watch your steps, be prepared, and you might just make it.