They should have NEVER taken the Technical programs out of High School.
Welding and Machine shop are the only reasons I stayed in school and graduated.

When they took the Technical programs out of High School the took the intensives of 1/3rd of the students to stay in school.

this is only my thoughts but.
1/3rd of society are brainiac's and can work behind a desk.
1/3rd are competitive as in sports
&
1/3rd work with their hands Technician type work.

we need the brainiac's to figure stuff out
&
We need the Technical people to build the stuff the Brainiac's dream up.
I personally do not need the Sportsman types but that is just me.

I started shop in Middle School and Continued through High School and went right out of High School to a Fabrication Shop Hired practically threw my Welding Instructor in High School.
9 1/2 years of that and I became an Inspector.
Never stopped Fab'ing Steel and 32 years later I am Fab'ing Steel more than I am Inspecting because of the pay.

Bring the Tech. Programs back to High School and watch the Drop Out Rate decrease a bit because it will give 1/3rd of the Population more of a reason to stay in school.

Also My Experience with Women Welders is that they fight harder to get and keep their jobs and they are better welders than the men for the most part. That is just my experience though.