Same problem exists in the building trades. My office was recently remodeled, and the foreman was a guy who I had worked with 30+ years ago when I was working my way through college. I asked him what the greatest challenge was in the building trades, and he said it was the next generation of skilled trades. His generation was getting ready to retire and there weren’t enough young people willing to do the work to replace them. He said when their experience and competence leaves the work place it won’t be replaced.
Of course, I chose not to replace it when I was young. But a couple days of nailing plywood on a roof all day in 38 degrees and steady rain will convince you to get into law school instead.
“... he said it was the next generation of skilled trades...”
I saw the same in the defense industry. I was surrounded by older people. There was a dearth of young qualified engineers and machinists. Part of the problem, I think, was the dot com bubble. Schools all over dropped their trades programs because parents wanted their kids to come up with an internet idea and be an overnight millionaire. Nobody wanted a plumber for a son.
Only now is the local junior college offering trades courses. I can’t say what high schools are doing. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was too expensive and too risky to start shop classes.