Posted on 09/30/2024 7:59:27 PM PDT by anthropocene_x
As of July 2024, the American economy had 7.7 million job openings. This is up from less than 5 million a decade ago.
In a recent interview Mike Rowe, the well-known host of “Dirty Jobs” said the pressure on young people to get expensive college degrees combined with the “harebrained” decision to pull shop class out of high school has resulted in an enormous debt burden and a widening skills gap.
Rowe believes many of the vacant positions are for what he calls “dirty jobs” — blue collar work that requires training and experience in the trades rather than the traditional four-year college degree.
“There's nothing wrong with a four-year degree,” he said. “But in 1984, when the dust settled, two years at community college and two years at university [cost] $12,400. Today, same schools, same course load, $95,000. So, never in the history of Western civilization has anything become more expensive more quickly than this four-year degree. And yet, and yet, the pressure we've put on kids to get one cost be damned is scandalous.”
(Excerpt) Read more at moneywise.com ...
I call the good jobs “grey collar”—some post H.S. training and or state certification required.
Plumbers.
Electricians.
HVAC techs.
Automotive and Diesel mechanics.
Seller’s market.
“Today, same schools, same course load, $95,000. “
Florida: CC live at home, in-state University dorm about $50k.
You still have to live and eat so actual cost of education is less.
The people that actually make our infrastructure work everyday so it seems easy for everyone else.
The wise HE graduate will enroll in a trade school or apprenticeship program, preferably one which will lead to becoming an independent contractor.
Best education for electricians is the IBEW. I’m not a fan of unions especially govt unions. But trade unions are a different breed.
Paid while you work thru your apprenticeship, weekend classes during your apprenticeship (unpaid hours but training paid from union dues). I’ve been told a sharp, aggressive, hard working apprentice can get his Master Electricians license in 10 years. Doesn’t happen often but doable.
In the tiny town that I call home I hire several underprivileged young people to help maintain the property, and over the past couple of years have become somewhat of a mentor to them. What you have stated is exactly what I've been recommending that many/most of them consider.
I tell them that their goal should be to have their signature on the front of the paycheck rather than the back.
+1
“independent contractor” for the win.
42 years in IT by going to a trade school in the basement of the empire state building. 6 months full time course.
I know many here are of the age to remember when we couldn’t wait to get our first job. We took small part time jobs as early as aged 10-12 by baby-sitting, cutting grass, paper-delivery, retail, etc.
I remember working part-time during the summer and holidays at the retail clothing store my mother managed. The corporate office allowed her to hire me and my elder sister to assist with inventory the week after Christmas. I was 14. I remember making almost $150 that week. I was thrilled.
I was even more thrilled when starting my first full-time “real” job. Older relatives sometimes would say “Often you don’t find a career, a career finds you”. That’s what happened to me. My first full-time job was as a secretary for a one-man law firm for a young law-school graduate. At the time, I had little idea I would retire 40 years later as an administrative assistant for the dean of a law school.
Years ago, we were taught to be proud of our work, no matter what the type of job. No self-respecting teen was without a job by the age of 16 or 17.
Now, children are not taught the value of hard work, being on time, or being the best at what you do. In fact, many are taught the opposite. They are taught to avoid work as much as possible in favor of “self care” (at the expense of others). Media promotes the idea of success as NOT working or working as little as possible.
Government education is at the root of the lack of employable teens and young adults. That needs to change.
“Recruiter reveals the real reason ‘unrealistic’ Gen Zers keep getting fired”
From the article linked above:
“The survey by Intelligent found that six in 10 employers had already axed their recently hired university graduates within a year.
The main problems employers found with this generation of workers were that they weren’t prepared, often wanted to leave early, start late and had poor communication skills.”
In 1984 the government wasn’t handing out loans and grants like Candy.
The government drove up the cost of college with these subsides
Those are by definition blue-collar jobs:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/list-of-blue-collar-jobs
Exactly. It also takes loads of regulatorily required new departments and bureaucrats to make students “who are not college material” pass even the courses that have been watered down for them.
My first job out of high school was with O’Malley Building Materials in Tucson AZ. O’Malley’s was the largest supplier of building materials in the state at the time. I learned how to mix paint, key locks, install large glass doors, cut glass, fabricate window screens and fabricate trusses along with many other things.
Looking back at it, I learned more at that job than any other job I’ve ever had.
I NOMINATE MIKE ROWE AS COMMERCE SECRETARY
Yeah, my wife and I really differ on this. She thinks it’d be a disaster if our daughter doesn’t immediately go to college for 4-5 years after graduating high school, which makes her (our daughter) dependent on the gov’t to get through school: I’m old enough that what limited resources we have left MUST mostly go to wifey and I staying afloat.
Hell, you can’t even get an ACADEMIC scholarship from a public university now, without it being dependent on the whole FAFSA mess.
I’d be a lot happier if my daughter took a route a lot more like yours. Bounce around a bit if need be, scrimp, and save some money. (She has a LITTLE money from my Mom & Dad.) She’s very smart and a good kid, and should do fine in the world of work, once she learns “the ropes”.
Instead? Heck, she doesn’t even know at all what she wants to do — she’s starting off in college “undecided”. Bah!
The number one placement out of our local community college is auto body repair.
So much that local car dealers will pay for a kid to go there if you agree to work for them during and after graduation.
What ended most shop courses in high school was LIABILITY.
I was in woodshop in highschool and a pot smoking dude cut about half way through his index finger with the band saw.
He went to the nurse and then the ER.
Today there would be a lawsuit.
An investigation.
OSHA would be involved or some other government agencies.
That’s right! In my area finding a good industrial electrician takes quite a while.
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