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30 years commissioned officer, retired 2016. 13 combat deployments. Now working for The MITRE Corporation an FFRDC ( Google it, I had too) and current project is working as a operational SME building Kuwait its own IAMD so we can bring more our men and women home, providing our partners, the Kuwaitis, the means to defend themselves.

The MITRE Corp -> https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...k-hacking-smartwatches-and-fighting-covid-19/
 
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Bumping this.

I have noticed an increase in kids these days wanting to do trades. My local area vocational school is at maximum capacity as they push kids towards the work program to free up space. 2 out my 3 kids are wanting to do a trade and none of them want college. Anyone else noticing this trend? Their friend groups are also the same.

Me thinks the covid shutdowns are helping this push. These kids seen who makes this country what it is. Not saying that all.college is bad, but there is plenty of money and self satisfaction to be had by hard labor.
 
Bumping this.

I have noticed an increase in kids these days wanting to do trades. My local area vocational school is at maximum capacity as they push kids towards the work program to free up space. 2 out my 3 kids are wanting to do a trade and none of them want college. Anyone else noticing this trend? Their friend groups are also the same.

Me thinks the covid shutdowns are helping this push. These kids seen who makes this country what it is. Not saying that all.college is bad, but there is plenty of money and self satisfaction to be had by hard labor.
I have noticed the same thing and actually any kid on the fence , I recommend them to do it. Trades are 💯 making a comeback and paying livable wages.
 
Covid changed everything. I think people being forced to stay home did many things. I think people realized the freedom they could have and didn't want to go back to their dissatisfied occupation. Start up businesses are popping up everywhere. I think many people did things to make money during the shutdown either to get by or actually had time to try other things other than their normal 8 and skate repetitive lifestyle. Covid fugged up alot of things but I think it has helped surge creative thinking and dreaming big, and choose your own path. It seems when I went to high school the option was college or factory unless your family was in the trades or farmers.......
 
Schools are a big influencer in this area. Proud of the leadership my Mrs has done in this specific area. She's been the Chairman of the county wide school board for the last two years and been on the board for over a decade.

The following is our county's pathway for youth to leave High School with a livelihood.

The Santa Rosa County School District in Florida offers a variety of trades programs through its Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Workforce Education departments, including automotive technology, welding, air conditioning and refrigeration, and electrical. These programs are designed through a "career pathways" model to prepare students for high-skill, high-wage careers and provide hands-on experience with industry-standard tools and software. Specific programs are available at the middle school, high school, and technical college levels, with additional opportunities through partnerships like the Integrated Education and Training (IET) program and the Space Florida Academy Program.

Specific programs and pathways
  • Automotive Technology: Courses prepare students for careers in the automotive field.
  • Welding Technology: Programs are offered through the district, including at the technical college level and high schools like Navarre High School.
  • Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration (HVACR): This program is available through the district's technical college.
  • Electricity: The district provides courses in electrical trades.
  • Computer Systems and Information Technology: Programs are available to prepare students for IT careers.
  • Emergency Medical Responder/Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA): These programs offer training for healthcare-related careers.
  • Pharmacy Technician: Students can pursue training for pharmacy careers.
  • Culinary Arts: The district offers a culinary arts pathway.

Program structure and goals
  • Career Pathways Model: The district uses a career pathways model to align education with regional occupational demands and provide students with clear roadmaps to certifications and careers.
  • Partnerships: The programs are developed through partnerships with local employers and postsecondary institutions to ensure students are learning relevant, in-demand skills.
  • Industry Certifications: Students can earn nationally recognized industry certifications through these programs.
  • Hands-on Experience: The curriculum is designed to provide real-world, hands-on activities using the same equipment, software, and tools used in the local workforce.
 
I'm still a self employed bum. Still in the trades. I just picked the trade that pays almost enough to make a living while not quite enough to ever retire. 🤣 My next job will be a grave digger. Three days after I die I'll get to dig my own grave.

To expand: yes. The trades are rocking. I agree. It is tough to find people to work physical labor jobs at an entry level position unless they are making 2-3x minimum wage as starting pay. It's a great time to be young and pick your path. Many options. Many open jobs. It's a bad time to be a dying breed in a low paying trade.

Also interesting: our son just finished the RN program. 3 job offers before he completed his last semester. Our daughter is a writer/editor. Minimal jobs available and most appreciate the college degrees so much they are willing to pay slightly less than a grocery cashier with blue hair and 26 facial piercings. Our son in law is a mechanical engineer. Working. Doing alright. Not as much job availability as I suspected there would have been for him. Interesting considering where any of the three of them could have been had they entered the trades right out of high school.
 
With two young boys, this conversation is in my head on a daily basis. I'm a firm believer that if I don't create a legacy for them now, they're going to have a rough time. Especially as white conservative men. The "American Dream" is being stolen from our kids in favor of cheaper imported labor. Look at the trucking industry. Sure, trump cracked down on some of it, but that's not going to stop. Trucking companies will just find another way to import cheap labor. The same is true for factories. Look at the Springfield Hatian issue. That's not isolated to springfield. There are dozens of cities with factories that have done the same thing. So they could own their own business, that's drastically dwindling also. Our children will never have the ability to own a motel, a gas station, a subway franchise, they're all being purchased by foreigners who import cheap foreign labor or run it themselves at such slim margins it requires 12 of them to live in the same house. They take out private loans from other Patels that don't require things like insurance or all the red tape things you have to pay for like workmans comp and unemployment insurance for emoyees. Want to start a construction company? You better speak Spanish and have connections to hire a pod of them. Maybe they want to do something small and just start off owning a storage unit lot. HA, good luck they've all been bought by holding companies that are largely foreign owned, you won't compete. long gone are the day of Bill who owns the corner store, or Mrs Sally who owns the local dress shop. Maybe they want to own a drycleaners, not unless your last name is Nguyen and you can sponsor visas for your whole family to run it. Oh maybe a career in IT, good luck. If it's not outsourced to India they likely hired an Indian guy on a H1B, or a guy on a greencard with a IT degree from Rahakeem University where he got his masters for $1,500 tuition per year but per corporate he's "qualified". There was a time where a kid could want to be a farmer, unless he's born into it today that's about impossible and he's likely still going to struggle.

I am sure there are ways. But those windows are closing more and more each day. Sure the trades are an option, but I don't see any of this not impacting the trades eventually also. And there has to be a better way than looking at my boys and saying "Hey, if you break your back day in day out and destroy your body by age 50 you'll make a good living.. I don't know, I try not to be pessimistic but the deck is quickly being stacked against our younger generations.
 
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