Both my stepdaughters have 4 year degrees.
Neither have jobs in the field they went to school for.
The jobs they have don't pay to well.
They both have college debt that they will be paying on for years.
I think the kids have to have the motivation to work if they want to go to college.
My two boys have about 5 years before college age.
They will have a decision to make at that time. Hopefully they will have the work ethic to decide what to do.
I have worked hard and they can see what you can get by working hard.
Time will tell.

Back in the 80's my dad told me the "middle class" assembly line type jobs were on the way out, foreign labor vs union labor the jobs would leave. He said there would be 2 types of jobs here Professional vs service and as stated here by several professionals they need certain types of service that they can't do them selves. I was told to follow my dreams and was free to choose my path, I choose wrong lumber mill LOL. Bounced around some and always worked but by stroke of luck found a way to use the skills I had acquired to make a career out of in the government sector.

While the HVAC tec has to see the doctor or lawyer remember that they won't sit too long in an office that has no air conditioning or heat and will call the HAVC tec and pay his price. As for bowhunter's daughter if she has the knowledge there is always someone that has to inspect the work.

I taught at a tech college for 31 years that had a strong apprentice program in 4-5 different areas. Female students were very few. Our son in law owns a mechanical contracting business with 60-70 employees and has few if any females in the trades. Why? Females can find good employment in the medical fields, education, HR and middle management as there are far more females going to college than men in our current culture. Locally I know two females that work on construction crews, one is a carpenter and the other works in cement contracting. (Her father employed her for years b4 he retired.) Another is an electrician and that works well for her. Another reason there are fewer in the trades is many times males make it difficult for them to join in and be part of the crews and or labor picture. Our son in law says it is a difficult employment tight rope to walk and he knows that more dependable employees may be lost due to the culture that exists.

Bryce

HVAC is entirely possible for your daughter too. Home Service is a solid living and often doesn't require much more than being brave enough to crawl into some crappy places. Other trades? Consider what people need in life. Not want, but need. They have to be born, Eat, Shelter, and die. Plenty of options in those categories. Perhaps opening her own poultry business, raising free range birds, for egg sales, as well as free range meat birds for local sale at the near by farmers markets. Friends of mine use pastures to free range their chickens and a mobile chicken house to move pastures, then sell the birds at markets and through a recurring sales program they have. It's done well enough that He is about to quit his full time job, wife is a stay at home. Point being that small scale farming is doable, esp if she gets into the quasi-organic side of things doing a handful of custom grows. Mortician is also a valid need/ funeral director. Nursing will never go away, but does require college. Pharmaceutical sales is big money, but of the five or six I knew that did it, all were drunks and one a pill head. Sales is an environment where Narcissist do the best (sorry if that's offensive)
Point is focus her in areas were the need will never go away.

A lesson todays kids have not learned is that you only get out of a job what you are willing to put in. Work hard, be the best employee ever, and know what the businesses objectives are. Think like your boss.

Some job experiences can teach you what you do not want to do with the rest of your life. I learned a few of those on a farm and in the military, and they enriched my future work ethic.

My son went to UNOH in Lima Oh. Actually a very impressive school. I was thinking a trade school with a couple buildings or so. Was done in 17 months, had a job quickly with a small family HVAC company that installs geo's in several states. He has worked into service and works 50-60 hours a week, his choice. Now makes more than I do and loves it. He would never lasted in a four year school. Mike

That reminds me of my neighbors kid. He's a hard working honest young man who loves to work on cars and trucks. I recently wrote a recommendation for him to the local Boy Scout Eagle Scout Review Panel. Ain't no way that boy was ever going to make it though four years of college. He went to vo-tech for diesel mechanics and was guaranteed a job with a local company before he graduated. He's working for them now, making great money and loving it!

Well although college isn't for everyone my 24 year old daughter and 22 year old son both graduated from University of Akron with business degrees. My wife and I helped some with $$. They both commuted because we live 20 minutes outside of Akron because dorm was on their dime, they both made a wise choice, saved thousands and we got them both at home for 4 years. My daughter is in Culture and People development (HR) for a large building supply company and my son is in sales for Crown Lift Trucks. Both make mid 60's and I am 90% confident that both will be pushing $100 within 5 years. Theres jobs to live on and then theres jobs that you can make a lot more money at working just as hard as someone else. I bust my hump everyday to make 1/4 of someone that doesn't hold a candle to my ethic.

My undergrad degree was not a requirement to get my job. I got my job due to my experience in the field and the required training that I had already received. My degree has been invaluable for promotions. Right or wrong, that piece of paper weighs more than years of experience and on the job education in our promotional process. I'll graduate next summer with my masters because it is a preferred qualification for the things I want to do in the future. The other preferred qual is advanced leadership training. I've been lucky enough to be accepted to the FBI National Academy in April, so I'll have to spend 10 weeks in Quantico starting April 1. It's not that I'm learning anything life changing, but I'm checking the boxes I need to check to move myself to the front of the line in the future. I don't necessarily agree with how it works, but that's how it works none the less. If I didn't do these things I would be doing myself a disservice.

I tell people that all that piece of paper does is check off a box on an application, and it shows that you will finish something that you start. It doesn't mean you know your rear end from a hole in the ground. Done properly, college SHOULD NOT teach you WHAT to think, rather HOW to think; as in the process of critical thinking. In much the same way trade school teaches you to perform a task by repetition and experience, college teaches you problem solving though repetition and experience.

That being said it is not for everyone. That's not a bad thing or a good thing, it's just the way the world works. Trying to force everyone down the higher ed pipeline is unfair to many people who spend a lot of money getting a degree they can't use (or at least can't afford to pay for), or worse yet dropping out and having the debt with no degree. Why not go to school for two years to learn a trade? Get good at it, hire people to work for you, and make more money than all of us!

I started out in skilled trades as an electrician. I went to Vocational School in High School and obtained my electrical license. Working in the field provided me with the motivation to get a 4 year degree in Electrical Engineering. I agree that everyone is not cut out for college, but my four year degree along with the experience I gained in the skilled trade of electrician and an engineering internship while in college have opened many doors for me in my lifetime. As a manager of 14 electricians and electrical technicians, I have had the best success with employees that obtained their skill in the military. They have discipline, real world knowledge, and great work ethic. I can see a time in the near future in my area of the country where it will be an accomplishment if you can get someone to show up everyday scheduled and on time regardless of skill.

Boy howdy! I finished my working career as a garbage truck driver. Even in that business, it's to the point where the drivers come to work when they want to, as you can't hire anybody to replace them that will do any better! As long as they get the work done by the end of the day...

bs, ms, phd.

bullpoo, more poo, piled high and deep.....

Some of the new booming career areas for younger workers allow huge opportunities for flex time and different schedules and a huge number of benefits etc. and they are working out very well. What it takes is management that understands how the workforce can get done what is needed done in a specific time and they don't spend their time counting seconds or reviewing cameras etc. Not easy transitions for most boomers or genxers but the younger groups are doing well with these norms. There will always be a place for the trades and the more the economy shifts toward service versus manufacturing there should be solid futures for those that want those careers.

Bryce

I've made a pile of money fixing the mess that cheap labor installed.

Mike

Some of my wealthiest clients skipped college, rolled up their sleeves and got to work. These guys are in the minority but they certainly exist.

I would be perfectly happy if anyone of my children wanted to pursue a trade and work hard at that trade. I would also be perfectly happy if anyone of them studied hard sciences, engineering or accounting.

What we don't need (and what I would strongly discourage in my house) is a useless degree. The world needs more electricians way more than it needs another sociology major.

Let's hear from a successful college professional who regrets going to college.

That's not the issue its the unsuccessful deep in debt ones that have worthless degrees and 50000 in loans that parents worry about their kids ending up as.

One of the advantages of having specific degrees is one can get careers or jobs in fields they like or enjoy even if they are not the highest paying and or ways to make lots of money. Learning to manage ones lifestyle to fit ones income something mature minded people learn to do and those that don't learn that many times have issues regardless of how much they make.

Bryce

Electrical work, on average, is not nearly as physically demanding as some of the other trades. There are times when it's intensely physical, but that's the exception and not the rule.

My latest apprentice is a woman and she does fine. I'm not sure how well she would have done with the crew installing 5" rigid, but that's a tough job no matter how big and bad a guy is.

Electrical work has many specialties that a person can settle into and make a good living... Fiber work, fire alarm, Tele/Data/Comm, PLC's... Lots of good jobs where you get paid for thinking instead of sweating.

Mike

Hard work never killed anyone.

Hard to find an American to do any today.