I teach at a local community college part time. It is a trade program. We can graduate a student out in 2 years with an automation engineering technologies degree that will put them into a $50K job day one, and we have about 5 jobs for every graduate.
The same can be said with welders, plumbers, electricians, hvac people, the list goes on and on.

They can make automation take over everything except for repairing automation. We're not seeing that trend do anything but accelerate.

The trades have had an undeserved stigma. It's time to change the paradigm

I earned my BA in Biology, which has gained me exactly zero, in terms of career advancement. I did however, go on to cosmetology school, which lead to an essentially recession-proof career as a small business owner, that I can take virtually anywhere in the world.

My son is just about to enter high school and I’m thrilled that the dual credit courses they’re offering can get him an associates when he graduates (for free!), as well as certified via extracurricular courses in major trades (welding, contracting, ag, etc). SO glad vocational training is making a comeback. Blue collar keeps the cogs spinning!

Depends on what they are going to learn and who is paying for it. If they go into university to learn a profession that is going to pay for university, provide a great living,
then ok. If they are going to university to screw around take stupid humanities courses that will make them professional protestors, they can pay for that bs on their own. A lot of universities produce walking, talking, overeducated, McIdiots. As for trade schools they should be closely monitered, but this is where most of humanity belongs. Letting a 17 or 18 year old decide this? No way. Too much outside influence. Letting idiots and sharks guide our kids is why we are in this political climate.

Shouldn't push kids in either direction . But they should be made aware that you don't need a college education to get a good job . If they like working with their hand they will naturally gravitate to the trades . They should do what they love and most often they will be good at it . As the saying goes " If you love what you do you will never work a day in your life " .

What i always tell my daughter is this, "Everyone has to use the toilet, so plumbers are rarely out of work."

I have a Bachelor in Computer Science, and a Master's in Computer Engineering. The experience was good, but every job I have applied for or worked at - very little of my college education actually benefits what I do. I would say 20-30% of my college education actually has made an impact on my ability to do my job. And that is in a field that relies heavily on math and engineering. For my field, college does give you much more theory to pull from, and gives you a wider scope of looking at a problem, but at the end of the day - recruiters and employers still put more emphasis on your actual experience. Our high schools need to catch up with the world standards, as well as teach real world skills (balancing a check book, reading a contract, understanding how to think critically and problem solve).

I am 22 right now and I really wish that I sought a skilled trade rather than going to college. I went to college for 3 years and the place was a shit hole. Its exactly what you think, a 'safe space'. It was kbvious it was not meant to teach anything unless you sought 8 year degrees and what not. And now I am in debt with no degree to show for it because my whole life I was told that I absolutely HAD to go to college. In highschool we were always told we would not be anything if we went to college, and the way I see it college was just a way to firther brainwash children and bring us closer to Orwell's nightmare. So yes. Kids need to be pushed more for the trades. Its better for them.

I’ve been an electrician for 20 years and worked around a lot of incredibly smart hard working people. For most of us, college wasn’t the route, we didn’t want to sit at a desk or graduate to a cubicle. And you can make a great living having skills that everyone needs. And there is no human resource department to police your fun

Yes! Trades must make a comeback in mainstream education. A college degree is not what it once was in terms of integrity. That’s been proven in recent weeks.

Kids should graduate high school with a associate's degree.

I love the trades wherever possible. You can live and work anywhere. You have to make a lot extra in the first 20 years of your career to make up the debt of university!

I don't know about pushed but they definitely need to be made aware they exist AND society shouldn't downgrade these types of jobs.
I'm in my 40s and there was definitely a stigma attached to "blue collar" when I was in school.
I was in all honors classes and when I spoke to my guidance counselor about going to a tech school my last 2 years of high school she was adamant that it would be a mistake.

Yes.

Jobs needing college degress are few, far fewer than people that need jobs that have degrees

I have a degree and it was required in only one of my last 5 jobs

Just ask the son or daughter to think about needing to pay off the loans and if what they want to study has a market in employment

"Gender Studies" is kool but hardly any employers are looking to hire one

We shouldn't push them in any direction except that which will satisfy their innate skills and interests. College is not as valuable as it once was because students at universities are not receiving an education any more.

Aside from a stretch in the army. Ive spent my whole life in the trades. The shifting demographics and approaching skills gap is disconcerting, to say the least. A full generation was pushed away from the trades to take up useless liberal arts degrees with no actual real world applications outside of 'academia'. The trades builds civilizations, while overthinking academic prigs destroy them.

It is my understanding that there will always be a need for some sort of manual laborers. It is a fact, that not all people want to learn it need to go to college. The sooner kids work in the real world and gain the real wisdom from having to budget, make choices the better off they will be and learn to respect those of us who have worked all our lives. I picked fruit at the age of 4! I know about work ethics. They need to learn about work ethics and respect for the value of a dollar.

As a Dean of Trades Education, I do think the right college is essential. Registered Apprenticeship has a course component but no degree completion. I think college or trade schools should be used to give students the skills they need and that is it. Sometimes it is a long stint, and sometimes a short series of classes.

I feel like the difference between a degree and a certification, is that employers recognize the value of a certification (its standardized and demonstrates aptitude) whereas employers never ask for degrees anymore. Certification applies to technology, trades, etc. Excluding certain fields of study, like medicine and law (or very similar disciplines), or maybe fine arts (where value is subjective), there seems to be a lot of gray area on the value of a degree.

Education needs to be re-evaluated from the ground up.

I've been a machinist for almost 20 years and make considerably more than many of my college educated friends. My two children are in high school and are both excellent students. My oldest wants to go to trade school and get into IT while my youngest wants to go to a four year college and pursue a degree in history and then attend law school. Both will get well paying jobs and hopefully be happy. I'm all for whatever a kid wants to do as long as he can provide a good life for him and his family.

Definitely more kids should go into the trades. College can be great , but not for everyone.

Yes and no. Not everyone is meant to go to college or should. We should also honor and respect folks that enter trades. I am able to live without my CPA, but when I need my plumber, I REALLY need my plumber. In some cases a college degree is an entrance ticket and a right of passage. Very often it simply demonstrates to a potential employer that you can be put in a challenging intellectual environment and apply your self and succeed. You met this one challenge, so there is a reasonable probability that you can meet other difficult challenges. You have the beginning of a track record. If you can make it through the rigors of Juliard, you might have what it takes to succeed on Broadway. Maybe

I have been working in water purification (sewage and potable water) for longer than many of you have been alive.
I dropped out of high school, tried once to go back, it sucked, gave it up and got my GED. I passed that easily with no study at all.
I got into a few industrial jobs that were ok for experience.
Then I got a job in a water intense industry, papermaking. And I got interested. And I learned, and I bugged the hell outta my bosses and coworkers, and I learned. And one day they put a tube on my desk with a kayboard, and I was in heaven. And I learned more. And my company folded, largely becacuse of that box with the keyboard, so I went into municipal work. From there it was on to military support. And now in municipal work again.
But what got me there was INTREST.

Without that you have nothing.

PS along the way I worked with a lot of well educated and savvy people.
But, I also kept a jar of Preparation H handy for the college idiots. To my view they come on the job as a well qualified (or senior, if you prefer) apprentice.

Wisdom is knowledge applied.
Until you are wise it does not matter how many tests you have passed.