Bring Vocational Training Back!
- Thread starter Aloha Hoosier
- Start date
Amen. You can make a damn good living in the trades.
The intelligent older brother of my son’s friend was mostly a washout in school until secondary, when he enrolled in vocational high school. He became an excellent student and a happy, well-adjusted person from that alone.
I think primary school should be applied, more or less vocational, hands-on and exploratory, from the get-go. Why ruin a child’s natural curiosity with assembly line inculcation?
I think primary school should be applied, more or less vocational, hands-on and exploratory, from the get-go. Why ruin a child’s natural curiosity with assembly line inculcation?
Not all high schools will be able to afford good trade skill training. Employers must pick up the slack, especially given the decline in union apprenticeship programs.
One of the big problems facing our nation is the lack of opportunity for training and employment depending on were a young person lives. Change will require government subsidies and employer cooperation in relocating young and old from pockets of poverty in both rural and urban areas. Side benefits will include such things as less crime and drug addiction.
One of the big problems facing our nation is the lack of opportunity for training and employment depending on were a young person lives. Change will require government subsidies and employer cooperation in relocating young and old from pockets of poverty in both rural and urban areas. Side benefits will include such things as less crime and drug addiction.
As you guys know, I didn't grow up in affluence by a long shot. I've reestablished friendships from many of my friends from the rough side of town since 2004 when I was at OSU and close enough to visit home regularly. Many of those friends went the vocational school path in high school and they're all seem to be doing pretty well these days. One owns a body shop and does great business. Another worked as an electrician for many years and is semi-retired. Others worked in home building and became contractors or otherwise did well. One is a chef. Others seem to have done well in their vocations as well. My own sister didn't really do vocational school, but they had an intern in high school for administrative/clerkship type jobs and she worked for a bank as an intern then after high school, then switched over to an insurance company and now she and her husband own their own business and, quite frankly, are rich. More than I am since their house alone is more than my net worth, and I'd consider myself rich from my vantage point back in the old neighborhood. Why did we ever take these alternate paths largely off the table? How did the foolish notion that everyone needs to go to college ever take hold. A large majority of Americans don't have college degrees even with that notion - we should help them while they're in high school by providing training in other paths.
They were taken off the table to prop up state universities such as Indiana. Higher education is highly questionable to me and I went to Ball State majoring in marketing.
I'm a painter by trade, never did pursue a career actually utilizing my major. I just picked up a 20k job painting a Baptist Church. I credit my success to being very good at what I do BUT also shaking hands with a firm shake and looking people in the eye.
One of my Ball State professors spent a week on how to shake a man's hand and then to make good eye contact. I can honestly say that was the best piece of education I ever received...You shouldn't have to go to college to learn that, though.
If you're going to be an attorney, doctor, engineer, etc., then go to college. If you want to skate with a simple desk job, you don't need a bachelor degree to accomplish this. That's where the college is everything baloney comes into play.
I'm a painter by trade, never did pursue a career actually utilizing my major. I just picked up a 20k job painting a Baptist Church. I credit my success to being very good at what I do BUT also shaking hands with a firm shake and looking people in the eye.
One of my Ball State professors spent a week on how to shake a man's hand and then to make good eye contact. I can honestly say that was the best piece of education I ever received...You shouldn't have to go to college to learn that, though.
If you're going to be an attorney, doctor, engineer, etc., then go to college. If you want to skate with a simple desk job, you don't need a bachelor degree to accomplish this. That's where the college is everything baloney comes into play.
As a teacher I had many discussions with teachers and administrators that thought everyone should go to college. I remember explaining to teachers how much plumbers, electricians, etc made and they were shocked. People that generally have spent their whole life in education have no idea what people in trades earn.
The bigger issue for me was a way to reach students that don't do well in traditional class rooms do much better with hands on training and see results from their efforts. It is what I call educational arrogance that doesn't understand this issue that many don't do as well in an educational setting.
The bigger issue for me was a way to reach students that don't do well in traditional class rooms do much better with hands on training and see results from their efforts. It is what I call educational arrogance that doesn't understand this issue that many don't do as well in an educational setting.
I agree. Unless it has changed, we need the state to buy into this. One of my brothers ran the vocational program for Hammond for over 25 years. He took early retirement because he loved the job but could not continue begging for money. Traditional schooling gets money for butts in seats, with standardized testing scores overlayed on that. His program received some state money, he got Hammond schools to contribute some but the school board was loathe to spend too much since that came from the traditional students that generated their income. He would get grants from corporations and not-for-profits. So his job had become more money begging than curriculum.
Maybe it has changed, he retired 20 years ago. If not, we need to fund vocational like we do traditional. But the question will eventually become, how do we grade vocational? There will become a time we will want to standardize test vocational and I am not sure how.
Many people would find greater happiness in life working a trade than a desk job, as well. Sky is the limit on income potential, as well, if you have an entrepreneurial spirit.
I have a high school friend that learned the roofing business after high school, rather than attending any sort of college. He makes several multiples what many college grads earn, operating under his own shingle
For sure. Roofing can be very lucrative. I have a buddy who built a 2.2 mil house last year. Been cutting lawns for 40 years. 60 something years old and in great physical and financial shape. Less stress too.
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anon_mlxxvlbug9dpa
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Our school district is award winning and in a relatively affluent area. We still have vocational programs. It’s crazy not to.
Does football give more underprivileged kids a chance to go to college and escape poverty than does say the band or music programs at high schools?
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anon_mlxxvlbug9dpa
Guest
Football also brings revenue to the school. Significant revenue.
I never understood why the Hammond schools decided to shut down Hammond Tech. It was a great school for both vocational and college prep.
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