For good or ill, the American labor force is being automated. To stay relevant in the age of AI, working adults need access to education. My experience as a working student illustrates a clear need for public funding for education.
Making a living with your hands is not what it once was. After a decade of work in the trades (and a technical degree), I am still living paycheck to paycheck. I am thankful for what I have, but if I want to start a family or take care of my parents, I will need my labor to go further. To that end, I began putting myself through college courses out of pocket. This was not sustainable for two reasons:
1. Price: Tuition and rent are rising faster than wages. I was only able to afford a partial course load, making graduation a distant dream.
2. Education quality: Working full time and being a productive student was challenging. My education inevitably suffered due to the strain multiple jobs have on my study time.
Everything changed when I applied for a Pell Grant. I am sustaining a full course load, working just one job, and have the best GPA of my life. This is thanks to public assistance, and these programs need to be expanded.
Ben Goodman
Friday Harbor
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