Things really haven't changed much today. I am a hiring manager these days and I pull most of my new hires out of technical schools. I've hired some with college degrees but they tend to have high expectations for salary (have to pay off those loans) and don't expect to get their hands dirty because they have degrees, don't you know.
Nursing schools are the same. I think they have a placement rate in the high 90s for their graduates. Nothing to be ashamed about being a nurse. Even if you are a male. It's a good career that pays very well.
Both my daughter and daughter-in-law are hospital nurses, 25 and 29 years old. One advantage they also have is that they only work 3 days per week for full time (3 12-hour shifts plus overlap). With the right scheduling, they can get decent chunks of time off (several days in a row) without even using any earned time off.
Of course there isn't. The daughter doing her pre-reqs for a nursing program now. Thing is there's a loooooong waiting list. I suggested maybe talking to a Navy recruiter for a possible Corpsman rating then continue school. We'll see.
What worries me is what happens to happens to these medical field salaries once husseinCare is in full swing. Stories on FR some hospitals are already cutting back staff.