By Aidan McArthur
In a world where AI and computers are slowly phasing out many people’s jobs, there is one sector that is invaluable to the American way of life. This crucial sector of jobs consists of trades and manual labor such as construction, plumbing, welding, carpentry, electrical work and more. It is up to our education system to change the way the younger generation views these essential jobs.
When you hear “trade school” what is the first thing that comes to mind? Probably not positive thoughts if many at all. This is due to the fact that learning trades and “hands-on” job skills can be frowned upon as a career path. However, the truth is that these jobs carry the American household’s ability to function normally. Just think: without functioning electrical outlets, how can you charge your devices for continued use? Or without functioning facilities, what are your options when nature calls? These are just a couple examples that demonstrate how vital these services truly are.
The frightening truth is that over 50% of tradesmen are aging out and will retire within the decade. It comes down to how these jobs are marketed to the younger generation in order to keep our households in functioning order.
This starts with the education system. Many people do not see trades in the light that they truly deserve, and this carries over to their children as well. I would venture to say that many people actually take these people for granted because of the blue-collar, hands-on nature of their jobs. But this way of thinking has to change in order for these lucrative opportunities to be taken advantage of.
If you look into these careers, you will find that there is plenty of money to be made for hard work. The average salary for an electrician in Florida is over $20 per hour! That sounds pretty good to me.
Even if the younger generation is only prompted to research, they will most likely find that these jobs really aren’t all that bad for the money made. In fact, there are scholarships to be found for pursuing many of these trade-based careers.
Eventually, maybe we as a nation can finally shift the focus to the necessity of keeping these jobs afloat.
