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America has always been the land of opportunity. At least that is what we like to believe. This opportunity has not always been attainable for its entire people for all of its history. This is just the simple reality of this country. One of the ways people have succeeded in our society, moving up the socioeconomic ladder is by using education as a way to secure careers which led to greater incomes and standards of living.

We are told from an early age, that good grades equal success and will lead to acceptance to a major university which in turn will guarantee our futures.

For the most part, a 4 year degree from Harvard or Princeton meant that prior to graduation, the graduate had a pick of careers that they could persure, no holds barred. During the recent economic collapse, more and more people are attending college as a way to increase their chances of securing employment.

But interestingly enough, our economy is not able to absorb all of its new, freshly-minted college graduates, and many, many college grads are working in service industry jobs or other low wage jobs trying to make ends meet and meet their now overwhelming student loan obligations.

With college enrollment growing, student debt has stretched to a record number of U.S. households - nearly 1 in 5 - with the biggest burdens falling on the young and poor.

The analysis by the Pew Research Center found that 22.4 million households, or 19 percent, had college debt in 2010. That is double the share in 1989, and up from 15 percent in 2007, just prior to the recession - representing the biggest three-year increase in student debt in more than two decades.

Because of the sluggish economy, fewer college students than before are able to settle into full-time careers immediately upon graduation, contributing to a jump in debt among lower-income households as the young adults take on part-time jobs or attend graduate school, according to Pew.

"Comparing the debt to their economic resources, the lowest-income fifth of households are the ones experiencing the greatest stresses," said Richard Fry, a senior economist at Pew who analyzed the numbers.

Across all households, rich and poor, the average outstanding college debt increased from $23,349 to $26,682. For the poorest 20 percent of households, the average debt rose from $19,018 to $20,640.

Perhaps we could learn something from other countries which are more successful in providing employment to its citizens, including having real solutions to youth unemployment.

Germany has taken a novel approach using an old idea...apprenticeships. Known in Germany as the Dual Vocational Training System (TVET).

The German concept is simple: after students complete their mandatory years of schooling, usually around age 18, they apply to a private company for a two or three year training contract. If accepted, the government supplements the trainee's on-the-job learning with more broad-based education in his or her field of choice at a publicly funded vocational school. Usually, trainees spend three to four days at work and one to two in the classroom. 

At the end, the theory goes, they come out with both practical and technical skills to compete in a global market, along with a good overall perspective on the nature of their profession. They also receive a state certificate for passing company exams, designed and administered by industry groups---a credential that allows for transfer to similarly oriented businesses should the training company not retain them beyond the initial contract.

The advantages are clear. TVET ensures there's a job ready for every young person enrolled in vocational school, because no one is admitted unless an employer has already offered a training contract. No job offer, no admission. In this way, there is less risk of heartbreak when years of hard work in university go unrewarded by an unforgiving market. Students also know what they're getting before the first day of class. The students complete the program with no debt for themselves or their families.

"We need to address the issue of skills, because now we're more interested in degrees than in credentials," says Assistant U.S. Secretary of Labor Jane Oates. "Since 2009 we have had a growing number of four-year college graduates unable to get sound wages in their areas of study." Oates believes that vocational and technical training will lead to lower youth unemployment over the next 10 years, especially with emphasis on a new hybrid model based on cooperation with local community colleges, where an apprentice can earn credits toward his or her degree while earning money, and learning, on the job. Essentially, this work-school program is equivalent to the German model.

Although we may face some hurdles in incorporating other countries programs, the biggest hurdle we may face are our own ideas of paths to success and the collective responsibility that companies, schools and the government must play to ensure our growth and ease the burden of debt.