What's so great about being 'skilled' anyway?

In my international relations class this week, we've been learning about the international political economy and the growing income gap between the poor nations of the South and the rich nations of the North. A reason for this is that the small percentage of the population considered "skilled labor" makes a majority of the income, while the "unskilled labor" continues to experience decreasing wages. In article after article, I read how the demand for skilled labor is increasing due to improving technology, while the demand for unskilled labor continues to decrease.

If skilled labor is in such high demand, then why do I spend night after night worrying that I'm never going to be able to find a job?

I would think that after spending four years at a top university, I would be considered skilled labor. Actually, I think I reached this classification after the fourth grade. But I watch my friends graduate year after year without job offerings. People who have spent a pretty penny on their education so they could make a prettier penny after they graduate. What's going to happen to me?

Journalism isn't exactly a booming field as far as employment goes. Convergence means that more people can do more things, meaning fewer employees needed to perform the same functions. Sure it's great that when I graduate I'll not only be able to write, but I'll also have some skill in web design, video editing, and photography. But what happens when everybody learns these skills?

At the new media panel last month, the panelists spoke about how most news companies are hiring on a freelance basis and when they hire full-time employees, they consider their freelancers first. You mean to tell me I'm spending $100 grand on my education so I can freelance for five years after I graduate? Well that's great.

Those same articles also spoke about how the demand for more unskilled labor (people without college degrees) will begin to increase in the U.S. This makes sense when you think about it, since all those college graduate positions will eventually fill up and leave a demand for plumbers and mechanics. Considering I'm putting so much into my education and I still probably won't get a decent job after I graduate, maybe I should just drop out and become a garbage collector. I hear they make $90 grand a year.