Want to guide your 16-20 year old to careers that help them reach their goals? Check out our workbook set:➡️ https://degreefree.com/bookWant a custom career plan for your 16-20 year old?Apply for the Degree Free Launch Program:➡️ https://degreefree.com/launchThe degree-free shift is not just happening in the United States. China removed or suspended more than 12,000 undergraduate programs while adding new programs tied to fast-moving technical fields. In South Korea, SK hynix removed degree rules from major technical roles. In the United Kingdom, Marks & Spencer opened 1,000 training places for young adults.Even Trend Hunter now uses "degree-free" to describe this change. There is a reason this is happening. Technology moves faster than college programs can update. Employers need people with specific skills, not four years of broad coursework and no work experience. Paid training lets a young adult learn the job, build useful skills, and grow inside a company without starting adult life in debt.We also wrestle with what "educated" actually means. A degree is not proof of literacy, critical thinking, or job readiness. We do not fully agree on the best way to measure education, but we agree colleges should define what they sell and be held to that standard. Cutting a bachelor's degree from 120 credits to 90 does not fix the value problem by itself.Parents still need to start with the life their child wants, find the work that fits it, and question every requirement before buying a degree.