Posted on Feb 12, 2026
One Big Question: Hands-On Training or a Free Ride on Campus?
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UHHhh, Yeah. My father wanted College and a Commission for me. He was the Comptroller at a small college in NC. He went so far as to bring an ROTC program to the school. Wasn't my chosen career path. I was one signature away from Basic and Scuba school during the summer of 78. I saw an ad for apprenticeship testing and went that way. I did my apprenticeship, but it was lacking electronics training, so, then I enlisted. I would have made a career of the Army but I got broken twice. 2nd time I was MMRB'd. The Military stuff looked good on the resume, but what made hireable was the welding, torch work, plumbing, standard electrical, trouble shooting, and millwright knowledge. If you Children or Grandchildren want to go the skilled trades route, let them.
CPT Jack Durish,
SPC Gary Welch, SGT Mark Anderson,
CPL Douglas Chrysler, LTC Trent Klug,
SMSgt David A Asbury,
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CPT Jack Durish,
SPC Gary Welch, SGT Mark Anderson,
CPL Douglas Chrysler, LTC Trent Klug,
SMSgt David A Asbury,
SSG William Jones,LTC David Brown
SSG Michael Noll, MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.
SGM Erik Marquez, CW3 Harvey K.
SFC William Farrell, CPL Ronald Keyes Jr
Sgt (Join to see), SSG (Join to see)
One Big Question: Hands-On Training or a Free Ride on Campus?
Posted from commonplace.orgPosted in these groups: Skilled Trades
Education
Education
Posted 8 d ago
Responses: 3
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Im all in on the trade schools. My only objection would be that most trades are unionized and I've only had crap experience with unions. Your experience with them may be different.
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SGT Kevin Hughes
Like you, I have had mixed experiences with Unions...one time I was doing a show and somebody had unplugged the main electric panel behind the stage. All you had to do was plug one thing in, and reset the breaker board. But it was a Union Theater...so we had to wait for an Electrician. An hour wait while we all just stared at the plug.
On the flip side, all the Carpenters, Plumbers, Electricians who went through the Union Apprenticeship were Qualified. They were all Professional, and competent. And, as my Brothers who worked at the Steel Mills would say: "Only with a Union can you get anywhere near a fair salary." And that has been argued back and forth my whole life. My Dad was able to feed a family of ten kids at home...with one job. And unless you are upper level management, or CEO, you aren't pulling that off as a regular worker.
On the flip side, all the Carpenters, Plumbers, Electricians who went through the Union Apprenticeship were Qualified. They were all Professional, and competent. And, as my Brothers who worked at the Steel Mills would say: "Only with a Union can you get anywhere near a fair salary." And that has been argued back and forth my whole life. My Dad was able to feed a family of ten kids at home...with one job. And unless you are upper level management, or CEO, you aren't pulling that off as a regular worker.
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LTC Trent Klug
SGT Kevin Hughes I worked in a plywood mill during the summer after high school. I did clean up. One night our union steward on thd shift I worked told me to stop working so hard because I was breaking out in sweat. I asked him if he was serious. He said yes. I couldnt believe what I had heard.
Later, working for the federal government, I watched our AFGE local do alot of hinkey things.
Later, working for the federal government, I watched our AFGE local do alot of hinkey things.
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MAJ Byron Oyler
I had to sit through a nursing union brief my first job out of the army. I think SM are designed to not like unions because we work a mission for a team, not for ourselves. The brief I sat through they despised management and the company making a profit which was about as hypocritical as you could be as they were union leadership. They were as exactly as I imagine Lenin would have been in 1917. The nurses that are striking in NYC, maybe if they did not elect politicians that tax them to death their money would go further. I have looked at the income in blue states for RNs and it does not offset the cost of living from my wages in TX to those locations. I wont work as an RN in most blue states as I do not make enough to offset the cost of living. Hawaii maybe but only because island living is a worthy trade but likely one of the less populated islands.
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LTC Trent Klug
MAJ Byron Oyler Its a revolving door here on the Big Island. My wife has had 6 oncologists in 4 years.
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Although the Article was heavily skewed, Trade Schools should have never gone away. When I was young we had dedicated "Technical Schools" and in the College Prep High Schools, you still had to take basic "Shop" Classes in Woodworking, Metal Shop, Electric and Automotive. Kids would find their niche. And then go to either college or an apprenticeship- or the Services. But there were enough jobs that paid enough right out of High School, that until Vietnam, College was the least likely choice. Once that deferment came up for going to college...huge jump in College Numbers.
Right now, those technical jobs are hot. But AI is changing the entire Education and Labor Market...and who knows where that will lead. Some kids fit in Academia, others fit better working with their hands, but neither can stop educating themselves to stay current, or get better.
My brothers were mechanical wizards...but they have to use computers to work on cars since the 2000's. And power tools were a huge step up too.
My Dad taught us all to use hand tools, and switch to power when you knew what you were doing. So education continues for everyone. We are always learning, and we don't all learn the same way. We based our schools on nine to five jobs and to work in a factory...and both of those are things of the past.
Right now, those technical jobs are hot. But AI is changing the entire Education and Labor Market...and who knows where that will lead. Some kids fit in Academia, others fit better working with their hands, but neither can stop educating themselves to stay current, or get better.
My brothers were mechanical wizards...but they have to use computers to work on cars since the 2000's. And power tools were a huge step up too.
My Dad taught us all to use hand tools, and switch to power when you knew what you were doing. So education continues for everyone. We are always learning, and we don't all learn the same way. We based our schools on nine to five jobs and to work in a factory...and both of those are things of the past.
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SGT (Join to see)
Factory work is very much not a thing of the past in the South East, and it's growing as offshore comes back to the States. Bridgestone built a brand new state of the art tire assembly factory in Mexico during the 2000's. Brought it online and then shuttered it after a couple of years because the work force wanted the pay without doing the work. So they came back to TN and renovated an older factory, and boom, there's profit again. Skilled trades are the 1st people into a new plant, and the last out.
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Went to work when I was in the 8th grade because I didn't like the clothes my mother bought for me. After the Army I signed up for Jr.College. The Vet line was too long so I crossed to the civilian line and paid for it myself. It was really hard sitting there all day with a bunch of bubblegummers so went to welding school and excelled from there.
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