Econ Ed Link: Education: Weigh Your Options

Getting and keeping a job often requires special education or training. While an employer may provide or pay for some additional education or training, workers often have to obtain it on their own. In this lesson, students use a weighted decision-making grid to choose a school that provides education or training for their chosen field of employment. Students use both financial and non-financial criteria in weighting their alternatives. If the teacher desires, the decision grid can be created by means of a computer spreadsheet. Students discover that major decisions like this one often involve trade-offs--getting less of one thing in exchange for more of something else. A weighted decision-making process can help them make the choice that best fits their interests and circumstances.