In Taiwan, high school freshmen are put on 1 of 2 educational tracks. College bound students must take college bound classes. The 2nd track is for learning trade skills. On the trade skill track, you can graduate high school with the necessary skills for working in a factory, garage, or many other blue collar positions.
Not to mention it is very competitive to get into the high schools that gear toward the college bound students ( and those are even ranked ). Just because you live in the district doesn’t mean you can go to that high school.
Most European countries are similar to Taiwan.
Germany does the same....after 9 years of primary school...you go either to a trade school to learn a skill...or go to a Gymnasium...not to work out, LOL...but these are the college prep type of secondary school
The biggest problem we have with our colleges and universities is that we send people to college
/university where such an education was not needed in the position years ago....or where in other nations they are not sent to University (primary school teachers are an example...they usually go to “teaching schools”, not universitites)
Also, years ago businesses acually taught and trained their employees, even in the professional ranks. Our current college/university system is really just an extended welfare program for Multi-National Corporations. 60 years ago my uncle started with GM, and worked his way up to an upper management position, with GM training. Now, they would not consider you for any management position without an MBA
We need to do more to support the middle 60%, the kids who aren’t college material but are not “slow”. They need to finish school with either a vocational degree (like hair care, phlebotomy, carpentry, childcare, first level IT certifications) or have the skills for a low skill job but more education (financial literacy, know how to fill out job applications, understand identity theft).