The comparison is apples to the entire produce section in a grocery store. In your old yearbook, look up VICA classes (Usually drafting and auto repair) or FFA classes. They were probably separate from the classical shop classes.
When I was a high school student (when dinosaurs ruled the earth), shop class was like a hobby shop type thing where students made small projects like wooden ducks with metal wings. That taught very basic skills with very basic tools.
In CTE classes students work in realistic work emulating environments. Our auto repair shop has three repair bays, two with lifts, engine anayzers and full repair capabilities including tire mounting and balancing systems.
Students went right from there to the auto dealerships as soon as they graduated.
Thanks for the details. The basic shop classes in woodworking and welding would be much more rewarding than social studies and the history classes they teach today. Our high school dropped college prep typing which would have many my life easier.
I might have never graduated from college if I would have had to take a foreign language. Today it is required. However, compound interest calculations play a much greater role in most college graduates’ life than a foreign language, but knowing how to calculate an installment payment is not required for a college degree. Insanity.