Don’t let these guys get to you, they actually do mean well, but have trouble understanding the need for sharp people that don’t sit behind a desk all day and do PowerPoint charts.
I have one of my kids (teenager) replacing a clutch as I type. A year ago me and the boys built a shed in the yard, using the same framing techniques that are used in (well-built) homes to withstand hurricanes. They can also do just about any routine auto repair (alternator, timing belt, drive axle, etc.), can do wiring reasonably well (with some oversight), and can sweat copper joints. We haven’t had enough air conditioner breakdowns or they’d learn that too.
But, most likely, they’ll still end up as engineers, since their academics (particularly math and reading, which I taught them) are many years ahead of their peers. But they will also have the skills they need to practically never have to rely on “the man” to fix their stuff and they will (hopefully) be able to distinguish between the need to replace a start capacitor and the need to replace a compressor unit.
Having drilled through top plates using right angle drill with a 2-9/16 hole cutter (for 2” Schedule 40 vent pipe), I can tell you that I have a ton of respect for you guys. Maybe when my kids are 25 years old I’ll introduce them to that particular skill, since, for now, I prefer them to not have broken arms or wrists.
I left the automotive field. I am still an ase master tech. The money has left the field for mechanics. I started wrenching at 80k a year and quit when my experience was 10 plus years and shops where offering 15 to 20 an hour on flat rate.