The present, anemic, state of new blood entering the trades is nothing new. If you have read this column for the past fifteen or so years you know that I am an advocate of trade craft and trade excellence. The problem has been that, in today’s world, there are not enough people interested in entering the trades or, when they do, staying long enough to learn anything.
Paradigm Shift
Also, with the inception of the digital age, it has been more than difficult to wean the prospective apprentices off of social media long enough to teach appreciation of working with one’s hands (or working at all, truth be told). While there have been many halfhearted and regional programs set up to help get young people interested in the trades, they have not been successful over a large area of the country.
Too, the media and the “educational elite” have downplayed the importance of learning a trade skill, as opposed to, say, a degree in lesbian dance theory. This attitude is changing, more rapidly now, as the lack of skilled people in the construction trades is reaching a tipping point. Whether it is too little, too late, or an idea whose time has come is anyone’s guess. To gauge by the number of articles recently posted about trade careers or the present administration’s vocal support of the trades, the paradigm seems to be shifting.
After all, when construction of new buildings and infrastructure improvements are impacted by the lack of qualified people in the trades, someone in a responsible position is being exposed. I guess it all comes down to “who’s ox is being gored.”
Skilled Trades Centers and More
A contributor, and friend, Dr. Douglas Greene, has been forwarding links to articles to me about this topic. All of them have a common theme: trades and trade education have become the new “it” issue. Dr. Greene has, personally, led the charge in his home state of Washington by implementing a program of building Skilled Trade Centers in various high schools. This is not verbal pablum, either. Dr. Greene puts his own money where his mouth is. By endowing these programs with funds, he has made the idea of trade education “cool” in these school systems. The number of students vying for openings far outstrips the available spots in the classes at these centers. Here are a few articles regarding what is being done to help bring trade education into the thinking of the mainstream:
Trump: Harvard Grant Money Could Go to Trade Schools
In the battle between Trump and Harvard, trade schools may be an unlikely winner
Kalama High students build tiny home to practice career skills
Does that tell you something? Humberto Martinez, one of the people who started Construction Career Days is another giant in the effort to bring the trades back into vogue here is the USA. That program has been successful in showing high school students that they can enjoy a trade career that brings a feeling of personal accomplishment, satisfaction and financial security.
National Stage
Now the present administration, headed by a guy who knows construction, is shining a light on the woeful lack of opportunity that young people have to do something with their lives other than going to expensive colleges to learn, basically, nothing of true import. I have written on this topic many times, and while I am not sanguine about the work ethic of the current generation, I must applaud the efforts now being made to turn the problem into a possible solution.
To the title of this column. We have now, and have for a while, a log jam of jobs going wanting for lack of people interested in pursuing trade careers. There are, according to Mike Rowe, about 7 million jobs going wanting in the trades due to lack of available people who want to learn a skill. Based upon recent events, I ask, “has the log jam been broken?” Are we seeing the beginning of something that will revitalize the construction industry and it’s manpower issues? It may be too soon to tell, and whether or not it is too little... too late… Just the fact that the issue is being given exposure in the media in the way that it has is hopeful.
Who Knows?
Admittedly, yours truly has not had any meaningful conversations with the prospective apprentices that these programs are aimed at getting into the trades. I cannot make any predictions about how many would think that working with one’s hands is a good thing to make into a career or just a flash in the pan—until at some point having to get up every morning and going to work becomes too onerous for their sensibilities.
In years past, a trade career was considered a goal for many high school students, especially those who, for whatever reason, did not see college as a viable career path. It may be that the trade alternative is now being viewed in that light again. If we look at it from strictly a mercenary point of view, leaving high school and learning/working a trade, produces more money per capita, more quickly, than most college graduates and it is those skills which keep the craftsman (craftswoman?) at the top of the earnings pyramid for life!
I’m not saying that doctors, lawyers, accountants and other professionals can’t make a bunch of money, I’m saying that the vast majority of college graduates do not make the kind of money that a journeyman in any trade can make. Add to that the personal satisfaction of actually making something along with the salary and you can surely agree that getting a job where saying, “you want fries with that?” pales in comparison.
About the Author
Al Schwartz
Founder
The Brooklyn, N.Y.-born author is a retired third generation master plumber. He founded Sunflower Plumbing & Heating in Shirley, N.Y., in 1975 and A Professional Commercial Plumbing Inc. in Phoenix in 1980. He holds residential, commercial, industrial and solar plumbing licenses and is certified in welding, clean rooms, polypropylene gas fusion and medical gas piping. He can be reached at [email protected].