In the early 2000s, I worked with a guy who had a older sister (late 30s) who had attended a legit community college in the 1980s, and gotten a associate's degree.
By the late 1980s....the sister wanted to progress on....without any added 'weight'. So she found this college degree-'mill' where you could buy a bachelors or master's degree, without classes.
I'll just say that she was a resident of a west coast state at the time.
She purchased a bachelor's degree....pursued a step-up in management and was accepted for the improved position.
About three years into this....she buys the master's degree and starts to submit for high levels of management within the state system.
A year or so later....she moved up to another level.
I asked at this point in the story he was telling....didn't they investigate her or challenge the degree? No was the response. Either the state system was not smart enough, or she'd found the right people to influence.
So I asked the next natural question....was she really qualified for the leadership level? My associate was amused. He responded....no one in the family really considered her that bright or gifted. She had a overly nice house....an expensive car, and spent a week or two on some Caribbean Island every year. She could show return on the investment, but measuring her on brightness was not possible.
We came to this odd subject....just how many people exist like this? Either with a fake degree, or marginally employed in some profession that their education really doesn't fit.
My thought was that 10-percent of management/leadership position were occupied by this trend. His thought was that it might be closer to one out of three managers being ill-fitted (either with a fake degree or a real degree) for the work required.
It's like bringing up the George Bush 'Junior' situation, and most people grinning to the idea that he was not that gifted or bright, but his name was Bush. (Note, I see the same trend with Hunter Biden).
I often come back around to this discussion, and wonder where this guy's sister is today? She's probably retired, and clearing $100,000 a year on some state pension deal. I'm also guessing that as time went by....she recruited others like herself, and that there's probably a hundred faked-up managers within the state system.
In a way, without any prevention going on....it's like a work-cult that developed.....where we have stupid managers and relying upon them for guiding us in life.
a)
ReplyDelete1990, Sacramento, California.
Starting at 18yo and never knowing any other employment, 'Eileen' was a 29-year employee 'in state service' 'in the public sector', looking toward retirement at her thirty... "... getting the 'hey' out of here!".
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'Eileen' took tests for a management 'position', and thusly, became a manager.
Innocent in the mysterious ways of 'state service', I asked about her department, the number of workers she managed, the products and services produced by her crew.
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Zero people to manage.
No identifiable product, zero services helping tax-payers.
No department name.
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And I wondered 'how many millions of other useless eaters are occupying space with magnificent titles, but accomplishing nothing'.
But 'Eileen' is convinced -- to the very core of her being -- she made a terrible sacrifice serving 'in the public sector'... because in the Real-World ('in the private sector'), she would earn ten times as much.
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'Eileen' is a childless spinster.
As my description might imply, 'Eileen' spends much of her waking hours discussing her many accomplishments during her 'state service'.
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b)
2023, Eugene, Oregon.
'Lynn' retired from California State University, Berkeley.
Although a decade away from work, a decade without seeing them, 'Lynn' still hates her cow-orkers with a furious passion, invests an enormous amount of her retirement hours describing their hatred of women, their elitist attitudes, their exclusion of the under-funded under-privileged under-served 'minority' 'community' in the Frisco Bay area... resulting in 'the Black community' need to commit crimes 'to bring attention to their plight'.
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'Lynn' is a childless spinster.
As my description might imply, 'Lynn' is a stark raving communist.
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c)
1994, Red Bluff, California.
'Greg' drove a desk for thirty-four years with California Highway Patrol.
At three percent (3%) for each year of 'state service' based on his final salary, 'Greg' was bringing home around us$9,400 monthly... in 1994.
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With union-negotiated Cost-Of-Living-Increases, by 2019, 'Greg' was bringing in nearly twenty grand a month.
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'Greg' finally croaked a few months ago after years in specialized convalescent hospitals in gated retirement communities.
At one point, I glanced through their WorldWideWeb site for prices for that level of 24/7/360° nursing and care -- to keep 'Greg' alive in his decrepitude required his entire retirement income... about a quarter million a year.
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'Greg' never married, never had children.
As my description might imply, 'Greg' occupied his desk dutifully because 'Greg' was probably the most boring individual in the known universe.
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So, I wonder.
Where would I be without the enrichment of knowing such stalwart members of my species.
I imagine I might be slightly less amused at it all.