Trade schools. Why are they looked down on?

Bravo...

 

It was definitely frowned upon 25 years ago when I was looking into going into one. I distinctly remember my middle school guidance counselor: "You're too smart for trade school. The country is transitioning into a service-based economy. You need to go to college instead" I did what I felt was best for me, and in my case it worked out. But yes there still is a stigma attached to it, in certain circles anyway. "Why do you want to work on cars/plumbing/electrical/HVAC/carpentry?!?!" coming from folks who regularly rely on one of those "lowly" aforementioned people so that they can go about their day-to-day business without having to deal with one of those respective problems themselves. I think attitudes are changing though, that people in those certain circles are starting to see the value in the trades. We can't all go to college, and the more the colleges rake the younger generation over the coals in education costs, the more the trades make sense for some (but not all) people.

 

LOL, isn't transitioning to a service -based economy an argument for vocational training ?

 

She was repeating word for word what so-and-so said at his state of the union address, and interpreted it as "send everyone to college" I suppose in her own mind she reasoned out that either you were going to work at McDonald's or join the ranks of men and women toiling inside an office cubicle. Maybe she was talking specifically about my field, which is manufacturing. We were going to import everything and people with the skills needed to manufacture goods were going the way of the dodo bird.

 

I’m a school principal. I regularly encourage kids to consider a trade. Unless a kid has a career goal that requires college, I don’t think college for the sake of college is worthwhile at todays prices. I started in education with 10k of student debt and got a 25k salary. I’ve had new teachers tell me they have 50-60k of debt. We start them at 51,000.

I always that of my college spending as an investment-the same as a farmer buying a tractor or livestock. There are fewer and fewer professions that can pay enough to justify the expense.

 

Good luck to your son, I was told that the trades were a bad decision. Graduated HS in 2000. If those people really knew me or cared about my out come they should not have said that. The traditional classroom is quite ineffective for me and the way I learn. Wasted a bunch of money on a semester at a 4 year college. Finally convinced my folks that it wasnt for me and took a job in mechanics. Sure there are plenty of people that expect to show up(most of the time), put out very little effort and want to be paid top dollar. Saw many of them come and go. I took every training opportunity offered to me and advanced my skills whenever possible. Now make a very comfortable living. I ain’t rich but my bills are payed and will have a decent 401k to retire with. As long as the people that are insisting on college don’t run the country/ economy into the ground.


My wife same age attended 10 years of college and has some letters after her name is still paying and will be for the better part of a decade. We pretty much make the same money partly because she works for a public school system. That’s another story, lol.


There is plenty of work out there for driven individuals that don’t expect it to be handed to them.

 

A good trades person will always find employment in virtually any place they choose to go. As Warner said, there is all kinds of work out there for those who are driven to succeed.

 

Truth. A plumber, electrician, contractor, mechanic etc. is needed whether you're in a remote mountain holler of West Virginia or Silicon Valley.

 

Is that always the "best", just because they have higher income? What about enjoying your work, and having job satisfaction?
I know many people that got out of college and never used their degree for one day...or maybe just for a bit, then quit...still had all their school debt though! (that many of them are trying to weasel out of now cuz Brandon promised "a chicken in every pot. and free school loans")
I have had all on the job or employer paid training, so zero school debt, still make more than many positions that require a degree (not the way upper end jobs, buy I'd never be happy in those jobs anyways! Heck, they keep trying to talk me into a "promotion" and I always reply no thanks...any higher up and it comes with a ton of headaches, and not that much more money! I KNOW I would be miserable!

 

So she makes less after the school bill is factored in, no?

 

It's likely there's a certain level of elitism on both the white and blue collar spectrum.
I lasted less than a year in a salary job. The hours of Excel spread sheets, the nonstop quotes, endless phone calls, and tiring human interactions I found to be too grueling for me. One must be wired for that type of role, or tolerate it enough as a means to an end. Admittedly, before that job I had a lot of preconceived notions about the people who existed in that world. I was humbled rather quickly as to how far I could dive into it myself before realizing I had to swim back to shore if I was to keep my sanity. Nope, it's easier being a grunt

 

And there is nothing wrong with being a grunt either if that is what you want. I had no desire to be a business man or owner. I wanted to fix things. Oddly enough it didn't end up being cars. Well, outside of mine, family and friends.

 

I can work on just about anything, but wouldn't be able to tolerate working on vehicles full time

 

I firmly believe that anyone, that isn't mentally or physically handicapped, can be whatever they want to be. It takes drive and work. This is why you won't see me bashing someone because they are wealthy.
They obviously chose a different path and I'm ok with that. I'm 100% good with the path I chose and own it. No regrets.

I've heard many call people with more than them rich "prìcks". It's not their fault that these individuals are miserable with their life choices.

 

In 1989, Minnesota changed the vocational schools to vocational college.

fast forward to 2009, they change the vocational and community college.

in 2011, they dropped vocational entirely and it became technical and community college..

this happened state wide too.

being on the student senate and having the school president in to address the changes, I asked “why the desire to get away from anything “vocational”..?”

it was what a lot of the rest of the senate wanted to know anyway as we’d been discussing it prior to the president’s arrival.

within a minute, the president’s handlers ushered her out the door and we were all left sitting there wondering why.

in following up, it’s been a nationwide trend in all states.

the one statement she made as they were gathering her up to leave is the “cities want community in their colleges. Not vocations.” It’s stuck in my mind what that means ever since.

to me it stunk of a hired bureaucrat who was never elected by the people making major decisions.

 

Nope. I really enjoyed it and decided not to do it fir my income. I got a factory job, learned how to weld and fabricate, and eventually tested into the maintenance program and earned my journeymans card in machine repair / millwright. I still got my need to repair things fix without ruining the car repairing that I enjoy.

 

Weld/fabricate/millright/maintenance...
Full time auto repair for a living...

M2¢

 

My freshman year in high school required all girls to take home econ and the guys had to take either industrial arts or vocational ag. Industrial arts involved a lot of technical drawing. I took the ag class. Both were offered for all four years if you wanted it.
I took typing my Junior year and we used manual typewriters. I graduated from HS in 65.

 

I agree with majority, never heard anyone knocking the trades in my circle . FIL was a mason for 40 years and it’s always interesting when you ride with him . He always points to those “ side jobs “ he did many years ago when passing them . He primarily did very large commercial projects , one of his last was Comerica Park .

College certainly isn’t for everyone but it sure did work out very well for my 28 year old daughter . She’s got her mothers smarts and as a CPA for a major national accounting firm she’s earning some serious money . Fortunately she’s a tight wad and is saving and investing . She should have lots of dough to take care of mom and dad in the golden years ! Lol

 

HVACR degree holder here.

Yeah, people look down on the technical/vocational schools. Mine is from a University.

But you know where we were looked down at the most? You got it.....the very same University that was schooling us! Along with the technical training for above mentioned course, there were also academic courses required (for the degree but not the certificate).

I attended as a full time non-traditional student and earned magna cum laude honors (3.87 GPA) but wasn't allowed to be recognized at the graduation ceremony since it was from the technical side of the University.

Yeah, damm right the president and myself had a discussion about it until the president was so pizzed off that spit was flying out of her mouth and her "aides" rescued and scurried her off for another "appointment".