There is honest work in the trades, and there is the potential for high income. On the other hand:
Some of the trades have physical demands that many people cannot meet over a long career. One of my neighbors was a mechanic for a big commercial airline, and another one was A&P certified and worked in that trade for some time. The first one had to change careers in mid-life and switched to accounting for the last 15 years before he retired. The second went into plant management as he got older.
The trades are subject to economic cycles. A lot of them are not "recession-proof." I know guy who was a journeyman finish carpenter, but he switched to EMT>Paramedic>Firefighter after the last housing bust. He's recession proof now.
The trades come with low occupational prestige. I don't personally think less of plumbers or HVAC technicians, but our society does. The Harris Poll has been gauging "occupational prestige" since at least the 70's, and while the perception of some occupations have changed substantially, the trades have never garnered high esteem. I know welders that work in nuclear. They make more money than most doctors. Lots of tradesmen become contractors and own their own business and make a fortune. Even so, money can't buy 'class.' Just look at Jeff Bezos or Mark Zuckerberg.
Not everyone's goal for education is to "get a job." I would hope that there are some people, even a lot of people that don't make it the primary goal of their life to just hold a job and make money. Some people are fortunate to already have money, and others don't need a lot. Personally, I find no appeal at all in the politicians that sell their agenda as "job creation." I can think of a lot of things to do to keep people busy. That's not what I want out of life.
Agreed with that also.
It is a “low occupational prestige” career to most teens. Not many kids say that they want to be a fitter or sparky when they grow up and it’s mostly dirty physical work but when you’re 22 years old and making better pay and bennies than most college grads and without college debt while doing something that actually needs done and have a real skill set that translates to building and doing things around your home Vs just talking out your azz because you have a degree it isn’t all that hard to find a date on Friday night.
It definitely beats up your body and is not recession-proof. It’s one of the first fields to feel a recession and layoffs and travel often come with it.
