Oh yeah our best and brightest should be plumbers and chase turds for our Brahmin overlords. Can we nix that stupid idea?
Hot under the collar, huh? One can learn many, many things beyond plumbing in trade schools. Besides, decades ago companies like HP had already instituted the notion of moving beyond "qualified" to "qualifiable" candidates, such that in-house training could broaden a new hire's skills -- tech skills, as well as marketing skills.
Trade schools do more than "chase turds." Like "industry-specific training," including electrical, mechanical and civil engineering, cybersecurity, and more.
Fine tech programs in STEM like Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, MIT and CalTech would do well, especially when the genders studies and DEI types are removed.
Too many liberal arts programs at state universities and liberal art colleges costing far too much are not your worth defending them.