By Futurist Thomas Frey
The Question Nobody’s Asking About Education Debt
What if instead of borrowing $100,000 to get a degree that might not lead to employment, young people could access government-backed capital to build businesses that create employment?
The student loan system is fundamentally broken—$1.7 trillion in outstanding debt, crushing burdens, declining value from degrees. But the infrastructure exists. The lending mechanisms work. What if we redirected this entire system toward the actual most important job of the future: entrepreneurship?
Let me be clear upfront: this is a half-baked idea. I’m not presenting polished policy. I’m throwing out a concept that needs serious refinement, critique, and development. What follows has gaps, potential problems, and unresolved questions. I’m sharing it because the core insight feels valuable, even if execution needs substantial work.
Continue reading… “Turning Student Loans Into Startup Capital: Why the Next Generation Needs Entrepreneurship Training, Not Degrees”
