Was discussing something along these lines with my family over the weekend.
I really think schools (and parents) need to step back from the “everyone must go to college/be academic” meme. There is nothing wrong or shameful about heading down the tech-school or secretarial skills track. Plumbing, electrical, HVAC, mechanics, receptionists, even so called “menial” jobs are out there, needing to be filled and they’re not just for so-called “dummies”.
They used to “track” kids when I was in school, and by high school some of them were encouraged (not forced) to take tech courses and pass up on the higher maths and sciences. I guess that’s not “PC” these days.
At my 30 year HS reunion (some time back, unfortunately), a number of the most successful people there had not graduated from college.
Realizing of course that for the most part B’s and C’s in 1969 suggest a whole lot more learned than A’s do today.