Young people taking up trades after high school is not a very popular idea in some people’s eyes. Parents put more emphasis on their children going to college to attain an education rather than getting a trade and obtaining the ability to have labor skills. College is not the path for every young person graduating from high school and should stop being promoted as such. Not everyone is looking to deal with 4 more years of school after obtaining a high school diploma. Trades are more suited for people who don’t have problems doing hard labor work to provide for themselves and their families. It is a disservice to the youth of America to push kids to go to college when they shouldn’t.
According to www.college-education.procon.org, “Learning a trade profession is a better option than college for many young adults. Trade professions are necessary for society to function, require less than four years of training, and often pays above average wages. The high number of young adults choosing college over learning a trade has created a ‘skills gap’ in the US and there is now a shortage of ‘middle-skill” trade workers such as machinists, electricians, plumbers, and construction workers.”
College is a great place for people looking to further their education and achieve a degree for certification to certain careers but for those not looking to do so trades are the way to go. Trades are in high demand so looking for work is not as hard as some college students who have recently graduated. A college degree does not guarantee that one will automatically receive a job after college but having physical labor skills will always provide one with an ability to get work.
According to www.intheknow.com, “66 percent of students at public universities and 36 percent of students at private universities have taken online lessons, but 78 percent of all students believe that online classes are a less effective way to learn.” Furthermore, the growing sentiment among many of these students is that they’re studying in the face of an uncertain future — one that doesn’t necessarily promise a career that is aligned to what they might be majoring in. Trade schools, on the other hand, offer a certain comfort that not all universities can. The skills trade school teachers impart can directly translate to the job students are working toward. As a result, there is a level of job security. Parents should put more focus on trades especially if their child doesn’t take education very seriously or is having a hard time comprehending the material in high school.