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Message
High-Paying Trade Jobs Sit Empty, While High School Grads Line Up For University
Posted on 4/26/18 at 9:57 am
Posted on 4/26/18 at 9:57 am
LINK
quote:
Like most other American high school students, Garret Morgan had it drummed into him constantly: Go to college. Get a bachelor's degree. "All through my life it was, 'if you don't go to college you're going to end up on the streets,' " Morgan said. "Everybody's so gung-ho about going to college." So he tried it for a while. Then he quit and started training as an ironworker, which is what he is doing on a weekday morning in a nondescript high-ceilinged building with a concrete floor in an industrial park near the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Morgan and several other men and women are dressed in work boots, hard hats and Carhartt's, clipped to safety harnesses with heavy wrenches hanging from their belts. They're being timed as they wrestle 600-pound I-beams into place. Seattle is a forest of construction cranes, and employers are clamoring for skilled ironworkers. Morgan, who is 20, is already working on a job site when he isn't at the Pacific Northwest Ironworkers shop. He gets benefits, including a pension, from employers at the job sites where he is training. And he is earning $28.36 an hour, or more than $50,000 a year, which is almost certain to steadily increase.
quote:
"Parents want success for their kids. They get stuck on [four-year bachelor's degrees], and they're not seeing the shortage there is in tradespeople until they hire a plumber and have to write a check." Mike Clifton, Lake Washington Institute of Technology
quote:
There are already more trade jobs like carpentry, electrical, plumbing, sheet-metal work and pipe-fitting than Washingtonians to fill them, the state auditor reports. Many pay more than the state's average annual wage of $54,000.
34
Posted on 4/26/18 at 9:59 am to RedRifle
And, yet, way too many kids will go to college only to realize it's not for them.
Going to college has become big-time recruitment and propoganda. Kids need to really know what they want to do before going to school. I sure as hell didn't know what I wanted to do at 18.
Going to college has become big-time recruitment and propoganda. Kids need to really know what they want to do before going to school. I sure as hell didn't know what I wanted to do at 18.
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:00 am to RedRifle
quote:
Many pay more than the state's average annual wage of $54,000.
Most people want to make a lot more than that.
I get trade jobs can get up there when you become a master plumber or carpenter and I agree more people who aren't very good at school should go that route.
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:00 am to RedRifle
Blasphemy
You mean to tell me that this is more important than experiencing the college dream, majoring in liberal arts, and bitching because my student loan dept is out of control while not finding a job?
You mean to tell me that this is more important than experiencing the college dream, majoring in liberal arts, and bitching because my student loan dept is out of control while not finding a job?
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:01 am to schwartzy
quote:
Going to college has become big-time recruitment and propoganda. Kids need to really know what they want to do before going to school. I sure as hell didn't know what I wanted to do at 18.
I went to college at 22.. realized I didn’t like working in the cold anymore. Took time to figure out what I wanted to do and did it.
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:02 am to VermilionTiger
With the cost of college now, it makes a lot more sense to consider trade schools.
If debt is an issue, kids need to major in something that will pay it off, like engineering, computer science, or the medical field. Otherwise, they will be in trouble.
If debt is an issue, kids need to major in something that will pay it off, like engineering, computer science, or the medical field. Otherwise, they will be in trouble.
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:03 am to RedRifle
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:04 am to VermilionTiger
quote:
went to college at 22.. realized I didn’t like working in the cold anymore. Took time to figure out what I wanted to do and did it.
Wish TOPS didn't have to be used immediately after graduation. Maybe a 2-4 year grace period before it must be started.
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:04 am to schwartzy
quote:
With the cost of college now, it makes a lot more sense to consider trade schools.
If debt is an issue, kids need to major in something that will pay it off, like engineering, computer science, or the medical field. Otherwise, they will be in trouble.
This will happen if the government and states stop providing tuition help to students in worthless majors. If you can’t return the favor, you shouldn’t get the handout
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:06 am to TheCaterpillar
Of course everyone WANTS to make more than that. Either way, he’s a 20 year old kid making that as an entry level iron worker, which is probably more than the majority of college graduates earn entering the work force.
Mike Rowe is a huge proponent of skilled labor and trade workers and honestly it makes a ton of sense. Not everyone is made for college and corporate life.
Mike Rowe is a huge proponent of skilled labor and trade workers and honestly it makes a ton of sense. Not everyone is made for college and corporate life.
This post was edited on 4/26/18 at 10:07 am
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:07 am to slackster
quote:
Wish TOPS didn't have to be used immediately after graduation. Maybe a 2-4 year grace period before it must be started.
No college student is more motivated than one who has spent some time in the real world.
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:08 am to RedRifle
When i started in directional drilling most of that companies employees were ex military. I would argue that 90% were great employees. Now companies want people witg 4 year degrees. The college grads that come out are entitled and not that bright. Had one that couldnt send an email or turn a wrench. He was useless to me
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:09 am to halleburton
quote:
Of course everyone WANTS to make more than that. Either way, he’s a 20 year old kid making that as an entry level iron worker, which is probably more than the majority of college graduates earn entering the work force.
Mike Rowe is a huge proponent of skilled labor and trade workers and honestly it makes a ton of sense. Not everyone is made for college and corporate life.
Totally agree.
My dad renovated some historical houses in Baton Rouge to live in (like 100+ year old shotguns) and became friends with his master plumber. The guy apparently pulls in over 200k and has to turn down work constantly because not many people can do what he does on old houses.
Pretty badass.
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:09 am to RedRifle
I would have appreciated college a lot more with a little "real world" motivation provided by a year or two gap after high school. Or I would have found a non-college career like the guy in the OP.
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:10 am to Nado Jenkins83
quote:
The college grads that come out are entitled and not that bright. Had one that couldnt send an email or turn a wrench.
A guy, who graduated college, couldn't send an email?
Was he blind?
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:10 am to RedRifle
Worked as a granite installer for 4 years before I woke up one day and said “frick this” and went to College. I hold all tradesmen to an extremely high standard. Taking pride in craftsmanship is a dying art.
That being said, I feel like all 4 year degrees should be similar to Nursing...2 years learning fundementals in a classroom then 2 years on the job training. I learned more in my first 6 months on the job out of school than I did all 4 years combined.
That being said, I feel like all 4 year degrees should be similar to Nursing...2 years learning fundementals in a classroom then 2 years on the job training. I learned more in my first 6 months on the job out of school than I did all 4 years combined.
This post was edited on 4/26/18 at 10:11 am
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:11 am to TheCaterpillar
quote:
Most people want to make a lot more than that.
They do. It's pretty easy to start off at 50k following an internship.
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:11 am to RedRifle
What I envision for my son, if he isn’t an academic/technically minded person like myself or my wife, is to go get a business degree from a state school and after college go train for a trade like electrician, plumber, hvac. Once he gets his certifications (because our state makes you have a liscense to do anything and everything short of wiping your own arse) he now hopefully has the business background to work for himself and run a successful business
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:11 am to RedRifle
Everytime I drive across campus I see these thousands of kids walking to and from class and I feel bad because most of them probably think there's a job waiting for them as soon as they graduate.
Posted on 4/26/18 at 10:12 am to RedRifle
Should have listened to my Uncle. He told me to go to welding school. My mom would get mad and say dont tell him that, he has to go to college.
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