[Liberty Nation]
BLUF: What Happened to America’s Apprentices?
One of the biggest contributors to the decline of apprentices was higher education. For generations, people entered trades and were guided under an experienced craftsman. But by the 20th century, that path veered off as more emphasis on getting a college degree became popular. The education system started treating a four-year degree as the standard route to financial and professional success. Career and technical education were seen as a lesser option and apprenticeships started becoming associated with construction and union trades.
The public’s view and even understanding of apprenticeship declined. Instead of being seen as a respectable way of obtaining training and jobs, it was seen as a specialized program for specific trades such as plumbers, electricians, and carpenters — to many, a "lower" path compared to higher education in the classroom. |