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I took drafting classes in high school voc-ed and learned far more than in my college mechanical engineering drafting class. That has served me quite well as an

I took drafting classes in high school voc-ed and learned far more than in my college mechanical engineering drafting class. That has served me quite well as an engineer. Equally useful were the metals class in middle school (where we learned to weld at age 13! you bet your ass they don't do that anymore, too "dangerous") and stagecraft in high school. It's too bad those kind of 'blue collar' classes are getting phased out, becuase they drove me into engineering far more than science or math ever did.

andrewvc 15y ago
It's not just the technical side of trade classes, it's breaking out of the abstractness of most education that's also valuable. I went to a high school with a remarkably well funded theater and stagecraft department thanks to a very generous alum. We worked under professional supervision (pro sound, lights, etc.) on professional equipment (250k sound system). I was in charge of sound for most of my years there. That class taught me all about responsibility and professionalism. You have to be on the ball and super-prepared for a live show to work. When crises happen in the middle, you have to keep calm, make other people feel secure, and handle them professionally, and quickly. That skill's come in handy post-high school. When I was starting out in software, in charge of a website that made a bunch of cash that needed to run 24/7, the nerves I learned back in school helped me stay calm and in control.
jff 15y ago
They still do welding in high schools. Drafting was incredibly fun, mostly because we got to sit around BSing while still turning out these oddly attractive little drawings. My favorite part was always drawing the dimension lines/arrows.