/24-7PressRelease/ - HOBOKEN, NJ, August 08, 2008 - With workers' fears about job security and upward mobility at record highs, education may prove to be the saving grace. A new study by eLearners.com, a web resource of EducationDynamics, and Kelton Research found that nearly one in five (19%) Americans—that equals about 40 million adults—know someone at their current or past workplace who has been passed over for a job because they didn't have the right degree. One in ten (10%) respondents say they themselves have been denied a job at some point for not having a degree.
Even once someone has landed a job, not having a degree can hold them back from moving up the corporate ranks. Nearly one in five (18%) Americans - another 40 million - report that a coworker of theirs was denied a promotion because they didn't have a certain degree. And, more than one in ten (13%) divulge that a colleague of theirs was denied a raise because their education level left something to be desired.
"The statistics from this study confirm what has widely been known, not only is a degree critical to getting a job, but it is also key to advancing in one's career," said Terrence Thomas, EVP Marketing Operations at EducationDynamics. "And given the current economic climate, a degree might be needed just to keep your job."
Other Findings from the study include:
Race Matters
More African Americans than Caucasians have been denied a job because of a lack of a college degree. The research found that 25% of African Americans were denied either a job, promotion or a raise, compared to 13% of Caucasians.
It Gets Worse With Age
Older workers are more aware of discrimination in regards to education level. More than a quarter (26%) of Americans ages 55 and older admits knowing about a person at work who was passed over for a promotion because they didn't have a certain degree, versus 15 percent of 18-54-year-olds.
Speaking From Personal Experience
Of Americans ages 55-64, 17 percent say they were denied a better title because they didn't have a certain degree.
You're Not There Yet
Almost one in ten (9%) Americans without a college degree were denied a promotion because of their lack of education.
"The message is loud and clear, that in today's competitive job market, if you don't have the right education others will pass you by," continued Thomas. "We found that 22% of people who started college but didn't finish have been denied a job, raise or a promotion. What is shocking is that workers are telling us that not having a degree is becoming a significant roadblock in their careers."
To help working moms secure a job and advance in their career, eLearners.com launched Project Working Mom, an education advocacy campaign that awards full-ride scholarships to working moms to help break the barriers of time, money and confidence in obtaining a college education. Visitors to Project Working Mom (www.projectworkingmom.com) can apply for a full-ride scholarship to one of five participating universities: American Sentinel University, Ashford University, Capella University, Everest University and Penn Foster College. The key component of these programs is that they are all online and tailored toward busy working adults. The deadline to apply for a scholarship is August 31.
Kelton Research conducted the eLearners.com survey between July 17 and July 21, 2008 using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas are set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population ages 18 and over. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample. The statistics above exclude respondents who have never had a job, as well as those who have always been self-employed.
About eLearners.com
The eLearners.com website is one of several high visibility, high-quality prospecting tools offered by EducationDynamics, LLC. Since 1999, eLearners.com has been successfully connecting learners to online education, including online degree and certificate programs, specialized career training, and a variety of online courses. For prospective students, eLearners provides a powerful search engine for users to find thousands of online program offerings, as well as educational evaluation tools and financial aid resources. For colleges and universities, the eLearners.com website offers a low-cost, performance-based method to provide national exposure and increase enrollments in their programs. For more information on eLearners.com, visit http://www.elearners.com/.
About EducationDynamics
EducationDynamics, LLC, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is a leading interactive marketing and information services company focused on helping higher education institutions find, enroll and retain students. Home to some of the most visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, and StudyAbroad.com, EducationDynamics is one of the leading providers of qualified leads for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of web-delivered products and services to manage a school's relationship with students across their entire life cycle from inquiry through enrollment to retention. For more information on EducationDynamics, please visit http://www.educationdynamics.com/.
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