That's less true in union work or licensed trades; but of course lots of trades are only licensed in specific localities or the licensing is loosely enforced.

That's less true in union work or licensed trades; but of course lots of trades are only licensed in specific localities or the licensing is loosely enforced. There definitely is a emphasis in the U.S. on college being the "correct" path though. I recently saw a public charter school in my city advertise their entire graduating class was accepted into colleges. Clearly this was the best metric of success to them.