Most people understand the need to convince high school students that the skilled trades offer financially and personally rewarding career paths. While the problem is obvious, figuring out how we got away from the skilled trades and how to get back on track is a little trickier.
Recently, a professional educator offered Miller the following thoughts on the state of high school trades education.
According to the instructor,
“High school educators continue to persist in lowering the standards by using the remaining craft training as a place where they place failing students, special needs students, or the school trouble makers … Good students, who would make excellent craftsman, are discouraged and even belittled for wanting to choose a trade where they will sweat and get dirty to make a living.”
He believes an absence of partnerships between schools and industries is one of the primary causes of decreased enrollment in the skilled trades.
He comments,
“(The problem is caused by a) lack of industry involvement by way of advisory committees…playing a role in deciding what should be taught and maintaining standards. In some cases the school administrators discourage formation of these committees or limit them to a once a year meeting/dinner. These committees must be more active and willing to take issues to a higher level if that is the only way standards can be upheld.”
What are your thoughts? Do you agree with this educator’s belief that good students are often discouraged from pursuing a career in the trades? Do you agree that advisory committees must exist to set educational standards for acceptable skilled trades education? Is there anything else you think needs to be done to show students the potential benefits of a skilled trades career? Share your thoughts in a comment below.
