Bottom line: college is not for everyone. I have known many guys with doctorates that could not find any work. Many friends also opted out of college to go to another and just bailed on that too. Their should be no stigma associated with not obtaining a college degree, we are creating a new caste system.
I like Mike Rowe. Great guy.
Mike Rowe is a treasure.
We should always remember that your local garbage man is worth far more to you than your senator.
After all, the senator never does sh*t for you and you don’t notice the difference (obviously, given that politicians are politicians because they have no abilities to create value).
But let the garbage man be two days late and you will notice it.
Also, the garbage man is far, far more honest, and probably smarter.
I keep telling my son to get into welding. He enjoyed it during high school and it seems to be one of those skills that is always in demand.
I like Mike Rowe — he’s been entertaining for a long time. Years ago, on TLC channel (back when it was still “The Learning Channel), Rowe was on a program called “Romantic Escapes.” He and his faux wife on the show (actress named either Alison Claire or Alice Sinclair, I could never tell) would travel around American to different romantic destinations. It was basically a travelogue show, but hosted by two people who were actually entertaining. Rowe almost never speaks of this program, and it’s not even listed on his IMDB credits, but it was a fun little show.
By the tenth grade a majority of students either show a college aptitude and interest or an interest in trade skills. Kids who have zero aptitude for advanced Math,advanced sciences, the upteenth year of English, and now in some states foreign language requirements, cut deep into what Voc/Tech courses are offered. But it gets worse. Block scheduling has kids going to their Voc/Tech course only for one class per half the school year so as to satisfy the other requirements college prep needs.
I'm for apprenticeships and the 10th grade being a 50/50 daily schedule of 50% standard courses and 50% Voc/Tech. Junior and Senior year should allow for full time trades/tech courses even as to encourage dual courses.
Diversity in a persons trade skills and the ability to quickly learn and adapt is a huge plus. By the time I was 28 I had taken a high school Refrigeration course and worked most of my senior year working on car A/C's. From there I joined the Navy four years and those skills got me into the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration shop on ship. After the Navy I took an advanced course in Commercial Refrigeration while drawing a VA check and then worked maintenance at the 1982 Worlds Fair ensuring the A/C units were operating. These were large commercial Centrifugal Chill Water A/C units. Then recession hit our area real hard. I went back and took half a course in Industrial Electricity again drawing a VA check and working in a National Cemetery for more money. I also joined the Army NG when I found yet another skill which was truck driving. A few hundred in tuition and three weeks later I was driving OTR.
After being on the road almost 8 months I stopped due to income issues and took a job in a healthcare facility doing electrical and HVAC maintenance. I later went back and completed the Industrial Electricity course. All jobs I had done up to that point even a brief Boiler Room stint in the Navy I used in my job as a maintenance mechanic. Today if I were a student in high school I would not pass their requirements. The stigma and opposition our education system puts on Voc/Tech training ios a huge factor as well in not having enough workers. It's discouraged. The school with the highest SAT's wins.