program cuts at UHH

[terracore]

This was a few years back but at the daughter's high school awards ceremony, when the Shipman people were announcing the winner of their scholarship it came with a bittersweet warning that while they were happy to give the scholarship, they wouldn't be hiring any scholars. They needed diesel mechanics and people with other trade skills, etc.

I don't know how they do it nowadays, but when I was a kid the German exchange students explained how their system works- Primary education ended at age 16. After that they either went to a trade school for 2 years or continued towards a university degree. If one was a male they had mandatory military service for 2 years usually between 18-20 that affected their planning as well. They went to an all-voluntary service a few years back so that part isn't an issue any more. Most of the exchange students had filed as conscientious objectors, so instead of military service they did two years of community service which was the option.

[Ccat]

This was a few years back...

I attended college forever got lots of degrees, know how to do lots of exotic stuff that would be really useful if the money men would pay me..but what they want to pay for is getting their ac working, drain unclogged, roof fixed, well, you get it.  

I really think we need to rework the 4 years of high school system so that *every* graduate has earned a 2 year standardized trade skill that will earn them a living.   And some have *also* taken college prep classes to go on to college.    
 
This would apply to both sexes and there would be no difference in which trade certifications the *boys and girls* earned.

I think this would eliminate much of the delinquency among students, also:  they would be too engaged to screw up!

(Btw, Soapbox on:  get the smart students out of standard classes and let them fly! )


I have suggested this to a high school counselor and he was taken aback.  He said there was no way they could afford it, that “shop” classes cost too much!  (And how much does the alternative cost society?)

After high school, everyone should do a brief (12 months ?) public service stint, either military or civilian.

[terracore]

My nephew is in High School and I was disappointed to learn that they got rid of all the shop classes years ago. All of them. Thinking back to my own time in school, the skills I learned in the shop classes were the most useful thing I learned in the public school system other than reading and writing. Some of my nephew's required courses were just garbage.

Things have come a long way since my High School was built. It had an indoor rifle range.

[randomq]

We can only give those high-end shop classes to prisoners, not students... /s

Let's throw in financial, ethics, and civics classes too!

[Ccat]

We can only give those high-end shop classes to prisoners, not students... /s

Let's throw in financial, ethics, and civics classes too!

Wow!  Sad!

I was thinking/hoping maybe it was just my high school which was rural, poor, and backward, but you mean it’s *all of them* nowadays?.

What do the students do all day long?  What subjects actually are taught these days?  

I know that they are spending lots more hours in the school day on math and science type stuff than we did.  (I’m OK with that, actually.)

[eightfingers2.0]

We can only give those high-end shop classes to prisoners, not students... /s

Let's throw in financial, ethics, and civics classes too!

Not totally true, the military has excellent vo-tech training.

[Obie]

I decided to go to a trade school over 50 years ago. It cost about $1600.00 for an 18 month course.
Still around.
https://pia.edu/