If the trades are such great jobs, then why isn’t trade school more heavily promoted ? (college, degree)
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People act like working in a trade is the greatest job in the world. Then why do so few people want to do it then? Why doesn’t society push going into trade school rather than going into college ?
At one time the trades were considered honorable work. When I grew up most high schools had shop. Even my tiny high school had woodshop, auto mechanics, and beginning welding. Most counties had at least one Vo-Tech high school where kids throughout the county who had an interest in a specific trade would spend half a day learning that trade and then when they graduated, could get an apprenticeship based on that.
However about the same time, late 60s and into the 70s, the education establishment began pushing the everyone should go to college mantra. The message to all students was you had to go to college to be a successful person and if you didn't you weren't successful (at least in how the education establishment defined "success"). High schools began cutting their shop and even home ec programs and adding more college prep curricula. While adding more college prep was good for those planning college, taking away the vocational programs provided less options for those who weren't.
Somehow the trades became associated with being less desirable and "beneath" the professions. We know that everyone is different and has different skills and different things they enjoy doing, suggesting the trades become, for some reason, considered both an insult to someone's intelligence and racist.
Out state even had college a the goal for everyone in policy until our new governor came in who recognizes the value of the trades. Things are slowly starting to change back to recognizing a career path in the trades as viable, which is why you now hear so much about it. But there are still plenty in the education system who are focused on college as the only goal.
I think the suggestion is that trade school is a good alternative for people who may not have done so well academically.
If you performed average or below in school, then you’re probably not college material. But you still have to make a living somehow, right?
Why would anyone want someone who didn't do well in school to be working on their plumbing or electrical system? Those are not specialties for simpletons or the lazy. There's a lot of math involved in the electrician trade and construction in general.
At one time the trades were considered honorable work. When I grew up most high schools had shop. Even my tiny high school had woodshop, auto mechanics, and beginning welding. Most counties had at least one Vo-Tech high school where kids throughout the county who had an interest in a specific trade would spend half a day learning that trade and then when they graduated, could get an apprenticeship based on that.
However about the same time, late 60s and into the 70s, the education establishment began pushing the everyone should go to college mantra. The message to all students was you had to go to college to be a successful person and if you didn't you weren't successful (at least in how the education establishment defined "success"). High schools began cutting their shop and even home ec programs and adding more college prep curricula. While adding more college prep was good for those planning college, taking away the vocational programs provided less options for those who weren't.
Somehow the trades became associated with being less desirable and "beneath" the professions. We know that everyone is different and has different skills and different things they enjoy doing, suggesting the trades become, for some reason, considered both an insult to someone's intelligence and racist.
Out state even had college a the goal for everyone in policy until our new governor came in who recognizes the value of the trades. Things are slowly starting to change back to recognizing a career path in the trades as viable, which is why you now hear so much about it. But there are still plenty in the education system who are focused on college as the only goal.
I think a major factor in the emphasis on college was the fact, that more and more employers in the 60's/70's began to require a basic college degree as a pre-requisite for employment, even office admin/secretarial jobs. People with only a HS degree were coming to be viewed as disadvantaged in seeking employment, similar to how HS drop-outs had been viewed in prior eras. The ante was being upped, so the schools tried to keep pace. That doesn't explain everything, but there definitely was that trend.
I work with many of them in a construction related field. You can be constantly kneeling, stretching, crawling, or lifting heavy equipment and materials, and it could impact you when you get older.
You are also for the most part ... working all day, putting in 8 hours or 6 without travel.
Compare that to people who in an office, might work 4 real hours in a day (if that), joke around with co-workers for 2 hours, go to lunch for an hour, surf CD for an hour.
Not that MY job is like that by any stretch of the imagination, but it is for a lot of people.
I have considered looking at a trade, but I'm getting pretty old, so doubtful that someone would hire me.
Trades are probably one of the more 'thankful' positions out there. You hire someone to mow your lawn, either they do it, or they don't. 'Hey thanks for the job well done.'
Compare that to a business director whose job it is to 'optimize workflow' who makes 10x more than a lawn-mower.
People act like working in a trade is the greatest job in the world. Then why do so few people want to do it then? Why doesn’t society push going into trade school rather than going into college ?
I think a major factor in the emphasis on college was the fact, that more and more employers in the 60's/70's began to require a basic college degree as a pre-requisite for employment, even office admin/secretarial jobs. People with only a HS degree were coming to be viewed as disadvantaged in seeking employment, similar to how HS drop-outs had been viewed in prior eras. The ante was being upped, so the schools tried to keep pace. That doesn't explain everything, but there definitely was that trend.
I don't disagree, but I think the education trend was more pushing business rather than being pulled along. In many places business began to add college as a requirement because high school had become so watered down that a high school diploma didn't mean the same as it had in the past. It seems the AA or in some cases, the BA became the new high school diploma, while the BS still carried some weight.
I don't disagree, but I think the education trend was more pushing business rather than being pulled along. In many places business began to add college as a requirement because high school had become so watered down that a high school diploma didn't mean the same as it had in the past. It seems the AA or in some cases, the BA became the new high school diploma, while the BS still carried some weight.
Even a college degree is no guarantee of quality in employment applicants nowadays.
You read some cover letters or other communication from recent college grads and you wonder how on earth did they even pass entry level 100 English much less obtain 3.0 GPA.
blue collar work can be dangerous to your health,inhaling chemicals!
also dangerous to your physical ,near equipments and robots .
4 years of college expands your ability to conceptualise,thats what recruiter will tell you.
My brother in law has an accounting degree ,but not a good one,,in his middle age,he becomes an electrician,he is happy and paid well.
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