Profoundly Disconnected - Mike Rowe

[ray1970]

There's nothing wrong with working for a living. It would be a screwed up world if if weren't for the blue collar worker keeping the wheels turning.

[MAP]

Long but worth the watch

My son was at the Jamboree. Mike Rowe was his favorite part.

[Aloha_Shooter]

I would add Mike Rowe is a Distinguished Eagle Scout and spoke at this year's Jamboree. I am a huge fan of his.

[SAnd]

Half the students of the course I graduated from in vocational school had two years of college behind them. They said after two years of college they figured out what they really wanted. A couple went on to get degrees.

I have met too many people that think blue collar workers are too stupid graduate from college.

"Educated idiot" and "educated beyond their level of intelligence" comes to mind about a lot of college degreed people I know.

When I put my tin foil hat on I tend to think the vocational school system was phased out because the liberals couldn't indoctrinate the vocational school students as successfully.

[spongejosh]

Another good one. I might have originally seen it here.

[asmo]

How do I get my associates for $500? I need that.

[cmailliard]

How do I get my associates for $500? I need that.

He took AP classes in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. He had concurrent enrollment for 2 years with me and my two classes. He used Pell Grants and other scholarship money to take online classes at RRCC. He is taking his EMT class this Fall at RRCC with scholarship money. He figured out how to do pretty much by himself and worked the system for every dime he could. The other part about his kid, he is technically homeless. He pays part of the rent for his grandmas house for him and his brother to live in.

The opportunities are out there, but just as Mike shows on his website, most high school councilors push the 4 year college with every student. They don't offer them many other options, we see and hear this everyday from students. Councilors barely even mention Career Tech Ed because they think it does not fit the 4 year degree avenue. I went to University of Nebraska on an athletic scholarship, I quit swimming at semester and flunked out after the first year. A year later I was an EMT, 2 years after that I was a Firefighter/Paramedic. Keep your kids options open and make sure you and they know what is available to them.

[Jamnanc]

It's on the job training too. I played around at college for a couple of years, then went to work. Five years later most of my friends from school were still going to college. One of them said "Your a laborer?" When I saw him. His mommy was still paying for his clothes, food, school etc. I'm of the opinion that white Americans are trying so hard to give their kids a better life, that many think its shameful to use their body and their mind to earn a living.

Digging ditches has been good for me, I have had the title of PM, but enjoy field work much more. If I was to finish school, I would still do what I do. It's good for me to be able to see what I have accomplished. If a kid is reasonably smart, comes to work every day, and can accept some responsibility, he can move up quickly and make a nice living in construction.

[JoeT]

I say it a lot lately... if I could turn back the clock to High school, shit, even after college, I would have entered a trade. At 45 my standard of living is such that it'd be too difficult to start new. I worked my way through college banging nails for my neighbor and enjoyed it, ALOT ! but couldn't picture being 60 and swinging a hammer full time. I didn't have the vision that you don't have to swing the hammer yourself, you just have to have the ability to get someone to do it with/for you.

I just had my kitchen and some other work done at my house. I think the GC did one day of physical labor out of the 3 months they worked here. His guys, or his subs did everything (and their work was better than his)

[mtnhack]

I say it a lot lately... if I could turn back the clock to High school, shit, even after college, I would have entered a trade. At 45 my standard of living is such that it'd be too difficult to start new. I worked my way through college banging nails for my neighbor and enjoyed it, ALOT ! but couldn't picture being 60 and swinging a hammer full time. I didn't have the vision that you don't have to swing the hammer yourself, you just have to have the ability to get someone to do it with/for you.

I just had my kitchen and some other work done at my house. I think the GC did one day of physical labor out of the 3 months they worked here. His guys, or his subs did everything (and their work was better than his)

This could be me as well. I argued endlessly with one of my best friends in HS over his decision to apprentice plumbing vs going to college like me. My argument was, but you're smart, you are wasting your time doing that. I was brainwashed. He is much better off than I am.

I grew up watching my grandfather's body deteriorate from the abuse of manual labor (flooring guy), so I thought that I wanted a nice easy office job. My job is easy, but there is no chance of rising out of the low to medium pay range no matter how hard I work. There are a limited few in my company that make bank, but there is no chance one of the peons can move up to their position. At least with a trade, if you are good and motivated, you could feasibly advance your standing in life.