When Jason Dean was a recruiter for the U.S. Navy, it wasn’t unusual for people with advanced college degrees to stop by his office to inquire about joining the armed forces.
In the COVID era, it sent a powerful message about how fragile the job market can be for traditional college graduates, Dean said in an interview.
“The amount of people who were coming to the recruiting office with bachelor’s, master’s and doctorates wanting a job was insane,” Dean said.
Meanwhile, Dean said not a single plumber, truck driver or electrician ever walked through the Naval recruiting office door on his watch.