Redefining Success: Preparing for a New Era in Education
- Berwick Augustin
- Jul 27
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 4
As another school year begins, many parents focus on grades, test scores, and college applications. But what if college isn’t the guaranteed golden ticket to success it once was?
Recent trends show a dramatic shift: in 2023, 55% of U.S. employers removed bachelor's degree requirements for some roles. In 2024, 45% plan to do the same. Why? Because today’s job market values skills over diplomas, especially with the rise of AI and automation.
For many immigrant families, including mine, college represented stability and success. My Haitian parents made it clear: education was the reason we came to America. However, in 2025, we need to broaden the conversation. The world has changed, and so must our approach to preparing the next generation.
What’s Driving the Shift?
Soaring Student Debt
College costs have skyrocketed. Student debt in the U.S. topped $1.7 trillion in 2021. This staggering figure causes many to question whether a traditional degree is worth the price tag.
Outdated Degrees, Evolving Jobs
Technology evolves faster than college curriculums. Today’s in-demand roles require skills like data literacy, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and problem-solving—areas traditional programs don’t always cover well.
Alternative Credentials Are Rising
Employers are increasingly open to certifications, online courses, apprenticeships, and bootcamps that demonstrate skills and real-world experience.
Actionable Steps for Parents (Back-to-School Edition)
Whether your child is starting 3rd grade or senior year, here are practical ways you can help them thrive in this new landscape:
1. Focus on Skills, Not Just Scores
Why it matters: Employers today want doers, not just degree holders.
How:
Praise effort, communication, and problem-solving as much as grades.
Introduce apps or games that build coding, language, or design skills (e.g., Duolingo, Scratch, Canva).
Encourage curiosity: let them teach you something they learned.
✅ Try this:
Introduce your child to fun, skill-building platforms like:
- Learn a New Language - The Berwick Academy (Shameless plug)
💬 Ask at dinner: “What’s something new you figured out today?”
2. Normalize Non-College Pathways
Why it matters: Not every student thrives in a traditional college path. Options are growing.
How:
Explore programs like Google Career Certificates, community college dual-enrollment, or trade apprenticeships.
Introduce your child to professionals in tech, construction, health care, or creative industries who succeeded without a four-year degree.
Talk openly about the cost vs. value of different paths.
✅ Start here:
Google Career Certificates – Industry-recognized training in IT, UX, and more
Apprenticeship.gov – Explore paid training in high-growth fields
Modern States – Free online courses to earn college credit
ASVAB Career Exploration – Great for teens exploring strengths and interests
💬 Family challenge: “This month, find one success story that didn’t follow the traditional college path.”
3. Build Soft Skills Early
Why: Soft skills—like communication, teamwork, and empathy are AI-proof and essential in every field.
How:
Practice active listening and encourage kids to express opinions respectfully.
Use team sports, group projects, church programs, or family meetings as leadership training grounds.
Role-play conflict resolution and emotional regulation.
✅ Build these at home or in school:
Practice public speaking with Toastmasters Youth Leadership
Promote leadership through Scouting Programs or student council
Teach emotional intelligence with Empatico or family journaling
Create responsibility with family roles (e.g., “You're the family project manager this week!”)
💬 Tip: Praise your child not just for results—but for how they communicated, collaborated, or adjusted.
4. Encourage Real-World Learning
Why it matters: Employers love hands-on experience—and teens thrive when they see real-world impact.
How:
Volunteer together in your community or church.
Encourage part-time jobs, internships, or job shadowing for teens.
Help them start a passion project—baking, tutoring, graphic design, video editing—and treat it like a business.
✅ Ways to expose your child to real-life learning:
VolunteerMatch.org – Find family-friendly service projects
Support their side hustle or creative project on platforms like Etsy or YouTube for Creators
Look into local high school work-study programs or job shadowing through school counselors
💬 Ask: “What’s a problem you’d love to help solve this year?”
5. Model Lifelong Learning
Why it matters: The best way to teach adaptability is to show it.
How:
Let your kids see you learning—reading books, taking classes, learning new tech.
Talk about mistakes you’ve made at work and how you grew from them.
Reinforce that learning doesn’t end with graduation.
✅ Learn together as a family:
Explore new tools with your child on Khan Academy
Try a family “Tech-Free Day” and reflect on what you learned
Set a family goal: one book, one podcast, or one new topic each month
💬 Reflect together: “What’s something new we want to learn this school year?”
Conclusion: A New Definition of Success
The world of work is shifting fast. College may still be a great option—but it’s no longer the only one. As parents, we have the power to redefine success: not as a diploma on the wall, but as the ability to adapt, grow, and lead in any environment. This back-to-school season, let’s prepare our kids not just for the next test, but for the future—one full of opportunity, challenge, and possibility.
Berwick Augustin is the founder of Evoke180, a leading publishing company that also specializes in Haitian-Creole translations. He is an educational consultant and keynote speaker who embodies two decades of experience as a writer, teacher, and assistant principal. Berwick Augustin is the most innovative bilingual educational consultant capable of producing transformative results that effectively impact urban schools. His renowned book, The Education Formula: Maximizing the Village, offers a holistic, proven tool for schools and communities seeking to bridge the gap and build strong, thriving educational villages. Berwick is the creator of Self-Paced Haitian-Creole Courses online, author of Days, Months, and Seasons in Haitian-Creole, The Haitian-Creole Alphabet, and 1803 The Haitian Flag.
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