[Redbob]

"In my day you could be a skilled trades guy or get a degree from a big 10 school and expect to make a decent living."

By "skilled trades," I'm guessing you mean "union?" Because the truly skilled jobs like machinist, tool and die, welder - those jobs are still here and still very much in demand.

But the grossly-overpaid union jobs have by and large left these shores for Mexico, Taiwan, China, etc.

[nascarnation]

those jobs are still here and still very much in demand.

Well if it's like here in the midwest they're in demand because they're paying 12 bucks an hour, or slightly more than the Amazon warehouses.