In my day, to have a college degree almost guaranteed financial success. It was a lie. Some of the most successful people I’ve met had NO formal education, but an outstanding work ethic. Since I had no financial aid given my genetics, I worked on a construction site during my college days. THAT was my education and resulted in flipping houses when it wasn’t even a term yet. Thank you Jesus!
Competent ‘trade’ folks will provide more of value to you in one year than the combined total of all ‘kollege profezzorz’. And I was one of those professors (spelled correctly, because I was STEM - my stuff worked and still does). Just one call to a plumber will provide you more worth than the sum of all knowledge or work (if any of either) given by those with “woke” degrees in the multiverse.
Now days won’t they be pushing females into that work?
The path to wealth is owning your own business.
A smart person in the trades, after a few years experience, can open his own business, own his own equipment, and hire people to work for him.
What the US really needs is decentralization, with lots of small businesses.
Good news.
Mike Rowe should take a victory lap.
There wasn't the discussion of today of college vs trades, but I just wanted to go fix electronics stuff. The fields I was interested in, if I went to college, paid the same as if I went to 1 year of tech school. Seemed like a no-brainer to me, despite what my teachers were telling me.
I have had a very fun and successful career, and make a way above average wage. Of course I show up to work, done stuff to make my bosses look good, and continue to learn as the electronics world changes. One of my very best decisions was to go the tech school route.
As an adult, I went back to school and got my BA, paid on the company dime. Didn't help my career much, but I enjoyed the learning, and had some good college instructors that weren't woke, and where I got a true liberal arts education (Econ major) and let me do some real learning and pondering of the way things are.
I officiate high school sports too, and in off the game moments with HS boys, I always tout the trades to them for their post HS education.
We need more Mike Rowes for spreading the message.
The market certainly appears more lucrative than ever given the going rates for various trade services. I expect this to be a big draw.
With current tax rates and markup though i generally find it more money and often time efficient to do most household jobs myself (even with 1 time tool purchases) than contract out with post tax money. The second time it is even more efficient.
“Just as many of us here have been saying for the past several years. The young people who go to two years tech school, or even enter a trade field directly after high school, are going to be free of college debt and the employers for the students with 4-year degrees and 100,000 dollars in debt!”
Often those instant unemployment degrees can be devastating to the grads and parents.
We are seeing the results of what you noted, in a nearby family.
There are 5 kids in that family! 4 were/are today/smart and got Stem degrees and got good jobs even before they were graduated.
The 5th kid ended up in an Oregon so called college and spent 5+ years getting a worthless degree in geography and arts.
He got his instant unemployment degree/IUD this past Jan/Feb. He can’t get an interview.
His girl friend attended a real NE college and was a Stem grad.
She immediately got a job at a good back east college as an asst. instructor.
The young man and his IUD went back with her and couldn’t get a decent job.
He is back home and is basically lost. His longtime girl friend is still in the east coast as an asst. instructor this summer and enrolled in advanced STEM classes.
He is very frustrated, and so are his parents. I suggested, to enroll him in one of the local trade schools and get a GED.
Take away football and basketball from the Power 5 conferences and the schools would soon dry up like a grape becoming a raisin.
Things worked out but I learned about half-way through the career real satisfaction is your own business.
Blue collar work is ok, but have any of you worked all day in the heat of summer hanging duct work or sweating pipes together? It ain’t that great let me tell you.
Indeed, trade schools here in N GA are booming.
But try to get into UGA, even as an honor student.