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Not everyone wants to go to college. A lot of people enjoy working with their hands and are really good at it, and plumbers, carpenters, welders, machinists, me

Not everyone wants to go to college. A lot of people enjoy working with their hands and are really good at it, and plumbers, carpenters, welders, machinists, mechanics, and electricians are a lot more useful to society than yet one more person who squeaked through the state college pushing paper in some dismal office. And likely happier too. The idea that a college education automatically leads to a better life than preparation for honest skilled labor is pretty elitist in my opinion.

dinkumthinkum 14y ago
OK but at the same time, many people could have gone on to successful careers by going to college if they hadn't placed into the vocational box. It's not as if a college educated person could never become a welder or that that person has missed their chance to become a carpenter. By your same implication, and I know it is not that popular, a lot of people work as welders, machinists, etc that would jump at the chance to be able to move to another career. Calling it "honest skilled labor" is just a way to load the issue with emotional weight. It's not elitist to recognize reality and there is actually no judgement being made here about which is "better" but it is clear than going down one path so early in life and close doors for other paths in a way that is not true in reverse. There are plenty of people that would love to go into, what you might call "dishonest" positions, but feel they cannot and feel there only option was to go into the so-called "honest" positions. Honestly, I think your view of "honesty" is unfair and simply a ploy to prop up your position. I've dealt with many auto mechanics and I would not say that they are all pillars of honesty or whatever you want me to believe. :( Just being honest.
bluedino 14y ago
Part of the problem is so much of the workforce just isn't good at anything. We have a lot of people who flat out have no employable skills, and without a degree the only option they have for work that isn't minimum wage is a factory job-which are long gone.
- lilsunnybee 14y ago
  Yet we don't even give a lot of these people the opportunity to be trained and find their niche, if they might be best at working with their hands.
bromang 14y ago
I think this view of things is a bit misguided. Most of the jobs available to those who should not go to college are not traditional trades. Effective vocational training has to be focused on service sector and administrative jobs as much as "traditional skilled labour",

dinkumthinkum 14y ago

OK but at the same time, many people could have gone on to successful careers by going to college if they hadn't placed into the vocational box. It's not as if a college educated person could never become a welder or that that person has missed their chance to become a carpenter. By your same implication, and I know it is not that popular, a lot of people work as welders, machinists, etc that would jump at the chance to be able to move to another career. Calling it "honest skilled labor" is just a way to load the issue with emotional weight. It's not elitist to recognize reality and there is actually no judgement being made here about which is "better" but it is clear than going down one path so early in life and close doors for other paths in a way that is not true in reverse. There are plenty of people that would love to go into, what you might call "dishonest" positions, but feel they cannot and feel there only option was to go into the so-called "honest" positions. Honestly, I think your view of "honesty" is unfair and simply a ploy to prop up your position. I've dealt with many auto mechanics and I would not say that they are all pillars of honesty or whatever you want me to believe. :( Just being honest.

bluedino 14y ago

Part of the problem is so much of the workforce just isn't good at anything. We have a lot of people who flat out have no employable skills, and without a degree the only option they have for work that isn't minimum wage is a factory job-which are long gone.

lilsunnybee 14y ago
Yet we don't even give a lot of these people the opportunity to be trained and find their niche, if they might be best at working with their hands.

bromang 14y ago

I think this view of things is a bit misguided. Most of the jobs available to those who should not go to college are not traditional trades. Effective vocational training has to be focused on service sector and administrative jobs as much as "traditional skilled labour",