re: Why does our educational system glorify stem and 4 year degrees?

So while society finds it repugnant to prioritize educational resources by aptitude, it hasn't caught a passing glance that instead the resources are prioritized by money. Industry has used a 4 year degree as a selection heuristic for over 30 years. It's now a cost to do most any white collar job. Industry doesn't actually think a 4 year degree teaches you anything that they can use, mind you, they will actually train you on what to do. They use it as, this person wasn't so flakey they couldn't get a college degree. Takes tens of thousands of dollars to demonstrate that commitment and not actually teach you marketable skills.