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WSJ: The High-School Juniors With $70,000-a-Year Job Offers
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:20 am
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:20 am
A rare uplifting article from the WSJ.
Summary:
• Father Judge High School in Philadelphia connects students with skilled trade jobs.
• Junior Elijah Rios, 17, offered $68,000/year for welding before graduating.
• Companies face worker shortages as baby boomers retire.
• Employers recruit high schoolers to fill skilled trade gaps.
• Strategy seen as key to addressing future labor needs.
• Vocational training gains traction for early career opportunities.
LINK
Summary:
• Father Judge High School in Philadelphia connects students with skilled trade jobs.
• Junior Elijah Rios, 17, offered $68,000/year for welding before graduating.
• Companies face worker shortages as baby boomers retire.
• Employers recruit high schoolers to fill skilled trade gaps.
• Strategy seen as key to addressing future labor needs.
• Vocational training gains traction for early career opportunities.
LINK
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:21 am to Samso
this will give the Raoul dude a stiffy 

Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:22 am to Samso
The OT loves a good argument over people entering the trades. This will be like fodder for both sides.
This post was edited on 5/7/25 at 11:23 am
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:26 am to Samso
Need more of these types of programs in high schools for kids who aren't on track to go to college.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:26 am to GeauxTigers123
quote:
The OT loves a good argument over people entering the trades. This will be like fodder for both sides.
just skimmed OP but isn't this in Philly? lots of shipyards and O&G there, and a pretty high COL
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:30 am to Tiger Prawn
quote:
Need more of these types of programs in high schools for kids who aren't on track to go to college.
They will have made $275k during the 4 years that their college peers were obtaining a degree only to fight for a $50-60k job and end up in six figures of debt...
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:32 am to Tiger Prawn
quote:
Need more of these types of programs in high schools for kids who aren't on track to go to college.
Yes. Smart kids should keep aiming for college.
Kids who aren’t good at school should look into trades. Employees plumbers in Texas are making 100k+.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:33 am to Tiger Prawn
quote:
Need more of these types of programs in high schools for kids who aren't on track to go to college.
they had Vo-Tech schools when I was a kid, kids would show up at the high school for roll call, maybe a conventional class, and then bus over to the Vo-Tech school, is this not a thing anymore in La?
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:35 am to Tiger Prawn
quote:
aren't on track to go to college.
Why is it "off track" to not go to college?
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:37 am to LemmyLives
Well, for one thing, your level of reading comprehension.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:39 am to LemmyLives
Found the guy who wasn’t on track for college.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:39 am to Samso
quote:
Junior Elijah Rios, 17, offered $68,000/year for welding before graduating.
And he will make relatively that for the rest of his life with no benefits. Not bad, but certainly not what you should strive for either
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:43 am to Mingo Was His NameO
In a UA local, he would get good healthcare, pension, and free apprenticeship training.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:47 am to Samso
i have seen a number of Davs-Bacon labor rates recently from around the nation for welders, plumbers, Electricians, ect. and its amazing what some can make after a 4-5 year apprentice on straight time.
4-5 years is the average time frame for someone to earn a college undergrad degree.
Take for example a plumber/pipefitter in BR. will start around 50% total package and after 5 years make around $30/hr on the check( $62,400/yr) plus another $15ish/hr for retirement and health insurance (fringes) worth another $31,200/yr
so total package making around $93,600 without factoring in OT and starting straight out of highschool making about half that.....
Davis-Bacon
4-5 years is the average time frame for someone to earn a college undergrad degree.
Take for example a plumber/pipefitter in BR. will start around 50% total package and after 5 years make around $30/hr on the check( $62,400/yr) plus another $15ish/hr for retirement and health insurance (fringes) worth another $31,200/yr
so total package making around $93,600 without factoring in OT and starting straight out of highschool making about half that.....
Davis-Bacon
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:48 am to Mingo Was His NameO
quote:
And he will make relatively that for the rest of his life with no benefits
Plenty of places offer benefits to tradies (401k, medical, etc) along with pretty good salaries
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:49 am to GeauxTigers123
quote:
The OT loves a good argument over people entering the trades. This will be like fodder for both sides.
You need these people more than the college grads.
In college they will argue about women in c suites but not a single one of them understand that men pave their roads and keep their power on.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:50 am to Mingo Was His NameO
quote:
And he will make relatively that for the rest of his life with no benefits. Not bad, but certainly not what you should strive for either

A person making $68k individually in the state of Louisiana is damn near double the median income.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:50 am to tigeraddict
quote:
Take for example a plumber/pipefitter in BR. will start around 50% total package and after 5 years make around $30/hr on the check( $62,400/yr) plus another $15ish/hr for retirement and health insurance (fringes) worth another $31,200/yr
Again, not bad, and good for labor, but I made this much straight out of college, a lot of years ago, with 4 weeks paid time off, 401k match, hybrid work environment, etc.
And I make A LOT more than that now.
Every single metric, every single one of them, shows college graduates still make more than non college graduates as a whole, plus time off, plus benefits, plus no demand on the body
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:51 am to tigeraddict
There are all sorts of types of people, so we need all sorts of career paths for them, seems simple.
What they "could do" if they went to college is not relevant because they do not like school for the most part and do not want to go to college.
What they "could do" if they went to college is not relevant because they do not like school for the most part and do not want to go to college.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 11:51 am to Samso
Finally, an alternative to one-sized fits all thinking in education (broadly speaking). It starts with a little imagination.
Great program.
Great program.
This post was edited on 5/7/25 at 11:52 am
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