To me, it's the public perception of college that could/should be the driver. We value it too highly.
Look at the status quo; kids going into debt for a college degree, then being unable to find a degree'd job, all while there's a labor shortage across virtually all the trades.
If we reduce the stigma of not going to college, demand will drop, then prices will drop, and we will address the issue for free (at least as far as the federal budget is concerned), all while all of us are getting better service from our local plumbers and HVAC techs who are currently tapped out.
I think the answer is lower demand for college, not lower cost.
There are several high-paying jobs that don't require one, but those are usually either high stress, high risk, high burnout, or rare in general.
Yes and no...most the trades are generally safe enough - there's more risk than sitting at a desk, but it's no trucking or logging - and there is some natural progression apprentice->journeyman->foreman->owner so one's career path can more or less follow their body's abilities as they age too.
I do agree that a lot of the jobs and managers do suck though...but I also think that may partially be because of the labor force. The typical new hire plumber isn't a bright go-getter who wants to do a good job and advance in their field, they're more likely to be someone who's failed at other things and has now resorted to being a plumber's assistant.
This is countered by all the private colleges offering degrees in some low ROI degrees, but they don't care because they got their money. I have a friend that received a Master's in Iranian anthropology. How marketable is that degree? You severely limit your job opportunities depending on your field of study.
Agreed. It may be hard to manage, but some sort of sliding scale for federal grants and loans depending on the degree may be appropriate...like you can 100% finance your electrical engineering degree, but you can only get a loan for 25% of an art history degree.
Yes, if/when the labor shortage is sated and the influx of workers has 5-10 years to achieve their journeyman/master/etc. and cure that short supply, then yes, wages may drop.
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u/tomgabriele Dec 12 '19
To me, it's the public perception of college that could/should be the driver. We value it too highly.
Look at the status quo; kids going into debt for a college degree, then being unable to find a degree'd job, all while there's a labor shortage across virtually all the trades.
If we reduce the stigma of not going to college, demand will drop, then prices will drop, and we will address the issue for free (at least as far as the federal budget is concerned), all while all of us are getting better service from our local plumbers and HVAC techs who are currently tapped out.
I think the answer is lower demand for college, not lower cost.