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I've worked in construction and manufacturing for the majority of my work life. My daughter graduated from college and is a teacher and my son is in college studying engineering. I would work two jobs full time if I had to to make sure my kids do not end up in dull, dangerous and dirty work. I want them to have professional jobs. No offense to others that choose work in the trades, but I want better for my children. I don't want them to have to work like I have.
It has been my experience that people do not want their kids doing any kind of labor. It is snobbish, IMO.
I don't think it is snobbish for my husband not to want our children following in his footsteps, because he experiences first hand how hard it is physically. We all want the best for our children.
While I would never tell our children they couldn't do a job, warning them of the physical risks and toll in many blue collar jobs isn't being snobbish, it is being realistic.
Public investment in K-12 schools — crucial for communities to thrive and the U.S. economy to offer broad opportunity — has declined dramatically in a number of states over the last decade.
Most States Have Cut School Funding, and Some Continue Cutting
Most states provide less support per student for elementary and secondary schools — in some cases, much less — than before the Great Recession,
Not exactly news-anyone involved in any type of manufacturing or construction knows this. What is new is that even our media is recognizing the 5 decade long failure of our educational industry to recognize and promote skilled trades. Demand is such that a machinist, electrician or carpenter will make more than many with bachelor's degrees.
Norway is a country that knows the importance of striking a balance between their working adults being in the trades and white collar work. Germany is another country where the trades are respected and companies recruit high school students into their apprenticeship programs.
IMO high school students and even middle school could be much better served by their teachers if they were informed about ALL their career options. Not every adult is destined a guaranteed satisfying career through a college degree. And not every trade job is dirty (with constant contact with toilets) and dangerous. Teens should know all their future work options. And this would also be a good time to point out to them that hourly jobs in fast foods is not a career path and that the pay is not a livable wage. However, if they do enjoy cooking or interacting with the public, those job could be a stepping stone to a career in the culinary arts or sales.
And young people shouldn't be prejudiced against knowing how to fix a toilet or how to build a deck. My husband fixes everything that breaks in our house from 1918, and he fixes our cars too... and that saves us a ton of money!!! And one of my friends, a partner in a law firm, knows how to change a light switch in her house.
Every high school should have a mandatory class in life skills. Personal finances, home repair, small business accounting, cooking healthy, how to use and apply for credit, how to have good credit scores, auto repair and maintenance, how to deal with the police and the court system, how to write a resume and dress for a job interview... all that stuff, because their parents certainly are not teaching them all of that.
A happy and productive adult should know all sorts of life and work skills. In such a competitive world, a successful should be adaptable and able/willing to roll with all the random punches that life might throw at them.
Our educational industry is of the opinion that children should be taught how to think (preferably for themselves), and that skills should be taught by employers.
Nothing could be further from the truth. 50 years ago, education gurus of the time eschewed educational excellence and the training of the mind and embraced dumbing down our schools in a "social engineering" attempt to create more equal educational and therefore more equal socioeconomic outcomes, which they theorized would lead to a more cohesive society.
Naturally, NONE of those goals were achieved, and all we're left with is an incresingly dumbed down populace, with the millennials being the least capable generation, yet.
I've documented all of it in my posts, with substantiation:
I don't think it is snobbish for my husband not to want our children following in his footsteps, because he experiences first hand how hard it is physically. We all want the best for our children.
While I would never tell our children they couldn't do a job, warning them of the physical risks and toll in many blue collar jobs isn't being snobbish, it is being realistic.
DH's family were contractors. They all were degreed engineers. They built freeways, run ways, etc. DH decided early on that he didn't want to work in the hot Texas sun for the rest of his life. Especially if they were paving with asphalt.
I'm speaking of all my neighbors in just outside of some major city, suburbs. Our family always felt we should employ the kids in the neighborhood. It has been my experience in the last 25 years that 95% of those kids wouldn't bend over to pick up a 20 dollar bill.
Those who will, work hard for above minimum wage. One kid in the last 25 years would mow the lawn. He was paid $25.
When I was in Jr. High 50 years ago there was a thing known as "shop class". Both metal and woodworking classes were offered. It was by far my favorite class. We built things. We created things. We learned skills.
When I discovered several years ago that such classes didn't even exist anymore I was shocked. It immediately struck me: No wonder we continue to become more and more dumbed-down.
True but if you injure yourself your pretty much up a creek plus the whole no work life balance. Trades are great for some people but they are not all sunshine and roses and the money comes at a cost your health.
I worked outside from 1981 until 2011. Worked an average of 60 hours a week plus did side jobs. Since I’ve been in an office job. Both have their upsides but I would rather work outside and do physical work, but you can’t do it forever.
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