Before the current generations, it was not considered indispensable to have a degree to maintain oneself, some never even graduated high school just to go work as early as possible in their life. Though it’s true that getting accepted into a university and getting a degree were praised achievements, one could’ve easily found work some way or another. That specifically is something still doable in current times, however, back then the cost of living was way different: inflation was still in it’s primal stages, the housing market was truly much more forgiving and economic catastrophes such as the 2008 crisis still hadn’t happened. That’s to say that, currently in 2024 and going as back as 1995, even if getting a job is just as easy, the maintainment of financial sustainability has tripled in difficulty. Many young adults struggle to keep renting an apartment, let alone owning a house.
That said, education has an important role to fill in this big mud machine. Getting a degree can be fundamental, as it broadens the possibilities of career choice. But that still isn’t enough, as many employers, as of recently, have started getting more and more demanding in terms of required experience in the field, which isn’t something much achievable as a young adult fresh out of college.
To sum it up, I’d say that having an education can give you more opportunities, but it’s not something that will suffice to live in today’s society, which likes to become more and more demanding. What’s needed is a more radical approach that’s too complex to be discussed in such a short word limit.