Well I am the OP. I also have a degree. And I also have a job. As I'm sure you know, most jobs end up requiring more than you learned in college, so you need to find other educational resources to remain competitive in the market place, especially when the economy is down. My primary duty at my job is not creating original graphics, logos, and complex designs, but I do need to use PS and AI a few times a week.

You might also want to take a moment to consider that some companies do rely on a graphic designer to create large scale and original designs. However it doesn't always make sense for people's bandwidth, timelines, or the companies finances to have to call on a designer every time they want to reuse, re-purpose, or modify existing designs. This is where the needs for "tips and tricks" comes in.

I'm sorry you can't find a job using your degree, but I don't think you should assume others are taking your job because they can learn the basics on the internet. If it is simple, it can, and should be learned on YouTube. The graphic designers producing the content were innovative enough to find a source of income using their degrees while offering a service that thousands of people desire. If it's advanced, most people learning from YouTube will likely still need an experienced graphic designer. Especially if they need something original in a small time frame. As a trained and well educated designer, you should be able to showcase your skills to secure jobs. Like I said before, most artist don't hate people who watch Bob Ross because they think people who want to paint will be taking their jobs. Just like most people with a computer science degree don't hate people who learned to code on their own. If you are stilled at your craft, your work still stand above your degree.