Good idea?

[RiverRat1]

I will agree. You will learn more in 6 months hands on in a machine shop than you will in school. Just my opinion. If you have someone with immense potential, why stifle them with a school catered toward "average".

You guys are correct... But somehow society needs to urge kids to at least try out a trade. I think most see no path to get into one unless they already know someone. Actually they don't ever even consider a trade. So IMO that's why it'd be good to have in ISDs or grants for college aged people.

[TN_boy]

Tom Glen in Leander had a CWS (certified welding inspector), from unnamed trade school in San Antonio, come inspect mig welds. Now, these kids have only been using mig for about 2 weeks. Teacher said there's the machine, here are coupons, figure it out.

Last week during this event all the kiddos welded test coupons for certification to AWS. After visually inspecting, he told all the kids they were now certified.
It was demoralizing for my son to hear this was bologna. Yes, visual inspection is a PART of certification, but there are other criteria that the sample must meet. Why would any CWS say that? Who knows.

[Goldeneagle]

The trade classes at PSH were full up until the late 70's. Then came along the PC and everyone found out they could make money by staring at a monitor and not get dirty. By 1980, the trade classes were gone. Also, the junior highs don't even have shop classes anymore. I still have a gun rack I made in 9th grade wood shop.

[ThisLadyHunts]

The trade classes at PSH were full up until the late 70's. Then came along the PC and everyone found out they could make money by staring at a monitor and not get dirty. By 1980, the trade classes were gone. Also, the junior highs don't even have shop classes anymore. I still have a gun rack I made in 9th grade wood shop.

My junior high shop class was a blast. Hated Home Ec until we came to the cooking segment. Homemade Blueberry Muffins was my final for the segment. Got a A+.

The sewing segment, on the other hand, didn’t go so well. Dying of boredom one day, I discovered you could use an iron and ironing board to straighten hair. Thereafter, I spent much of the class period straightening other girls’ hair. (This was before flat irons—hair straightening irons—were made popular.) My class time overlapped with a shift or two of lunch period so girls would sneak into class from the cafeteria, one at a time, to get their hair ironed. Old Mrs. What’s-her-name had no idea what was going on. I think I burned a few girls’ hair before I finally settled on an optimal temperature. I’m not sure if I passed that segment or not. Never bothered to turn in a final project, as I recall.

[Goldeneagle]

My junior high shop class was a blast. Hated Home Ec until we came to the cooking segment. Homemade Blueberry Muffins was my final for the segment. Got a A+.

The sewing segment, on the other hand, didn’t go so well. Dying of boredom one day, I discovered you could use an iron and ironing board to straighten hair. Thereafter, I spent much of the class period straightening other girls’ hair. (This was before flat irons—hair straightening irons—were made popular.) My class time overlapped with a shift or two of lunch period so girls would sneak into class from the cafeteria, one at a time, to get their hair ironed. Old Mrs. What’s-her-name had no idea what was going on. I think I burned a few girls’ hair before I finally settled on an optimal temperature. I’m not sure if I passed that segment or not. Never bothered to turn in a final project, as I recall.

9th grade shop was where I learned to smoke a cig under a welding hood and not get caught.

Back on topic. Something that needs to be addressed is taking pride in your work. For the last 10 - 15 years at our shop, the new guy's just only cared about a paycheck. We were in the defense industry and our parts had to be right and most of the kids just didn't care as long as they got paid.

[Hoggslayer]

They need to bring trades back in the high schools.

I learned to weld at 10 years old, taught by my brothers High school welding shop teacher. Mr. Crainer is still teaches Welding at Brazosport High School. He's taugh 1000's of kids to weld and many have great careers because of it. Welding open the door for me to work my way into a shop Forman's position, then into engineering as a lead of an R&D department at Concrete Truck manufacturer, and for the last 17years, at NASA as a lead Mechanical Designer at the NBL. All on a High school diploma and hard work. My Son has a year left in his Lineman apprentice program and already make more money than I do.

Trades are the way to go. A.I. isn't going to replace a toilet or put a roof on your house for you.