We need more trade schools

[Edward Weber]

The house under construction was at the regular high school, not at a tech/trade school.

That's different than the situation at the school Jim and I are talking about.
Does the school have industrial arts/trade courses, as we've all mentioned many don't anymore.

[Tom M King]

I never thought about taking shop in school. Here, trades are taught in Community Colleges. I've always heard that anyone who goes through the welding program can always get a decent job. I expect the same is true for HVAC. They also have auto mechanic classes.

I went to night classes there in 1975 to be able to take the tests for Plumbing and Electrical licenses. Those classes were as good and as well taught as any I ever took in regular school or college.

A close friend of mine taught Welding and Machine work at a trade school for 20 years after NASA cancelled the Apollo program that we was a welder in. He also taught things like lost wax casting there. I'm not sure if they closed the school when he retired, or he retired because they closed the school. In any case, he ended up with all the tools and equipment and left them to me when he passed. I haven't had time to do anything with much of it yet.

[Brian Elfert]

That's different than the situation at the school Jim and I are talking about.
Does the school have industrial arts/trade courses, as we've all mentioned many don't anymore.

The only thing I have ever done is driven by the high school and saw a house being built in a parking lot.

I looked at the school's website and found they have something called a Technology, Engineering, and Design Pathway. One of the classes is a Construction Trades course that is two hours a day for an entire school year. This course builds either a house or small rental cabins over the course of the year. (It appears cabins this year since the structures I have seen are smaller.) The school specifically states they are not a trades school and no college credit is offered. They also offer welding and small engines courses.

[Edward Weber]

Thanks, that sounds like a good place to go, even if just to get exposed to the trades.

[Brian Elfert]

I forgot to mention that students at that high school have the option to go to a local community/tech college for a half day of trades training. The trade training is run by a consortium of school districts.

[Pat Germain]

What was your rating in the Navy?
I signed up with a guaranteed "A" school for electronics. Then went to two "C" schools.
In 6 years total. Once I was discharged I found work in electronics and eventually in Aerospace in Calibration, Electronics lab, but also helped out in the Dimensional, Optical, and Physical Labs.
I'm sure I would have made more as an electrician, but I had no desire to move around to job sites or be a lineman for the public electric companies.

I eventually went to university on both the GI Bill and the "Aerospace nickel" (McDonnell-Douglas/Boeing) and got a BA History. That was just for my own satisfaction.
Boeing wanted me to move into management. "Thanks, but no thanks." Happy as a tech, Salaried, Non-Exempt.
My NAvy electronics training served me very well for 40 years.

When I enlisted I wanted to be a CTM. My ASVAB score was two points below the minimum for the Nave Advanced Electronics Program. They tried to get me to take Mineman, Torpedoman and other things I promptly rejected. Eventually, they offered me IS and I accepted.

I was in the GI Bill doughnut hole. I came in too late for the Vietnam Era GI Bill and too early for Montgomery GI Bill. Yeah, I got completely hosed because I fell into the VEAP program which was completely useless.

I did nine years and got out as an IS1.

[mike stenson]

Stillwater, Oklahoma had a pretty good "Vo-Tech" system when I was in high school..

That's the problem. For the most part, all of these, and other "non-essential" programs, such as fine and performing arts, physical ed, etc, have been gutted over the years. Largely due to budget cuts. So now, we're paying for it.. and it's always more expensive to pay for it later than sooner.

[Patty Hann]

When I enlisted I wanted to be a CTM. My ASVAB score was two points below the minimum for the Nave Advanced Electronics Program. They tried to get me to take Mineman, Torpedoman and other things I promptly rejected. Eventually, they offered me IS and I accepted.

I was in the GI Bill doughnut hole. I came in too late for the Vietnam Era GI Bill and too early for Montgomery GI Bill. Yeah, I got completely hosed because I fell into the VEAP program which was completely useless.

I did nine years and got out as an IS1.

Not familiar with any of the newer GI bills (post Vietnam). Sorry that didn't work out very well for you.
btw I got out as ETN2.

If the two aerospace companies hadn't footed the rest of my education (GI BIll only was good for 10 years after discharge) I still would have gone to ASU, but on my nickel.
It was pretty neat that McDonnell-Douglas paid for one's degree and it didn't matter what you studied, as long it was a univ administered program.
I could have majored in Psych, Poly Sci, Sociology, Music, a Foreign language, English Lit, Art History, Bio-Chem....they didn't care. It didn't have to be job-related.
So I got History, BA (Western Civ) with aaaalllmost a minor in Physics (short a few classes for the minor reqs).

[Jimmy Harris]

I don't think most states want to pay for trade schools. And I don't think most people looking at going to trade schools would be able to pay for it themselves. While I would like to see more, I think the future is going to have less.

I believe we're at the point where companies are just going to have to come to terms with the fact that if they want skilled labor, they're going to have to be the ones who invest in that training themselves. Either that, or regulations are going to have to get relaxed so that people don't need training prior to doing a job, and just let the free market sort the wheat from the chaff. And while I'm not a fan of either of those options, I think that's where we're headed. We, as a society, just kind of lost interest in investing in people or things that don't directly benefit us as individuals.

[Pat Germain]

That's the problem. For the most part, all of these, and other "non-essential" programs, such as fine and performing arts, physical ed, etc, have been gutted over the years. Largely due to budget cuts. So now, we're paying for it.. and it's always more expensive to pay for it later than sooner.

That Vo-Tech in Stillwater still operates. It's now called "Meridian Technology Center" or something similar. My brother works there doing IT Support. They have eliminated and added classes over the years based on demand. I heard they recently eliminated the Masonry course which is surprising. My nephew makes a good living doing masonry and concrete work. His complaint is that he has too much work.

[Ron Citerone]

I don't think most states want to pay for trade schools. And I don't think most people looking at going to trade schools would be able to pay for it themselves. While I would like to see more, I think the future is going to have less.

I believe we're at the point where companies are just going to have to come to terms with the fact that if they want skilled labor, they're going to have to be the ones who invest in that training themselves. Either that, or regulations are going to have to get relaxed so that people don't need training prior to doing a job, and just let the free market sort the wheat from the chaff. And while I'm not a fan of either of those options, I think that's where we're headed. We, as a society, just kind of lost interest in investing in people or things that don't directly benefit us as individuals.

Jim I hate to say it, but I believe you are right. I would add that as a society we don't invest in things that don't show rewards with a long term time frame. Short sighted approach IMO.

[Roger Feeley]

I knew a guy who went through a printing program at a trade school. When he went to college, he leveraged it into a job at the local paper as a pressman and put himself through college. He graduated suma cum laude with a an accounting degree in part because he didn’t have to work as many hours to pay for school and lodging and stuff. He became a CPA and never ran a press again.

[Edward Weber]

Just saw this story today
https://www.siliconvalley.com/2024/0...nging-it-back/

[Dave Fritz]

Our granddaughter's school has an apprenticeship program. https://www.mcfarland.k12.wi.us/scho...e%20experience. Our granddaughter is currently working at a cooperating bank as a teller and plans to go to college and study finance. She'll be able to work at this bank all through school if she chooses to do so. Maybe the issue isn't the lack of schools, rather the lack of students willing to put forth some effort or not having the vision to see opportunities available to them.

[Jim Becker]

Dave, there are many factors at play here as has been noted. It's complex and varies with geography, too. There has been less emphasis on vocational training in lieu of "go to college to get ahead" for decades and that has affected both physical infrastructure and attitudes, including those of students. I hope that change and quickly because frankly, we are running out of folks trained in the trades and other occupations that society needs to function.