Is College For Everyone?

Kids are out of school for the summer.  Many of these are now high school graduates with a bright future in front of them.  Some know exactly what they want to do with their lives.  Some don’t even know what they want for lunch later today.  And, that’s okay!  Kids graduate high school between the ages of seventeen and nineteen.  TEEN is the key part of that sentence!  Why do we expect kids to know what they want to do for the next thirty or forty years?  Some of them might take offense to being referred to as kids, but that is essentially what they are.  Graduating high school doesn’t automatically catapult you into adulthood with the ability to make life-altering, life-long decisions!  We really shouldn’t expect that of them.

What should we expect?  It is fair to expect them to have a plan.  Laying around on mom’s and dad’s couch isn’t a plan.  Getting a job, going to college, or attending a trade school…those are all plans and good ones at that.  Many young people get their first part-time jobs while in high school.  If they can maintain their grades, why not?  They have their own spending cash, so they aren’t hitting up parents/grandparents/siblings for extra cash anymore.  But, more importantly, they are learning responsibility and accountability.  These are two qualities that will make life a whole lot easier.  It will help them to become good employees, good spouses, good parents, and good citizens, in general.

Local companies are usually great about hiring local kids.  They are familiar with the area.  They may already be acquainted with some of the clientele.  They live close by and can get to work on time (hopefully).  And, they are learning to contribute to their own community by being a part of its workforce which is an invaluable lesson.  Additionally, these kids may be really good employees, eager to learn and move up in the company if there is room for advancement.  Some smaller local companies may not have much room for that, but there are usually at least beginning positions and some type of supervisory or management positions that they can move into eventually.

We have heard college “preached” to this generation so much that many of them don’t realize there are other alternatives.  Yes, this is a very technological age, but is it ONLY a technological age?  It is far from it!  Robots and unmanned machines do not build homes, repair plumbing, or fix electrical issues.  We still need people!  And, we need trained people.  We need young people who are willing to learn trades, put in an honest day’s work, and then stand back and be proud of what they have accomplished.

Mike Rowe, known for his TV show “Dirty Jobs,” has actually gone before Congress to discuss this very issue.  Basically, the world needs apprentices…young people willing to be trained and learn a trade.  For kids who struggled in school, this is such a fantastic opportunity!  College is a great fit for some, but for others, it would be another four years of misery and learning difficulties. If you or your child fits this description, then you understand.

It is a shame that so many schools have dropped their trade programs like auto body, auto mechanics, woodshop, and the like.  Don’t we still need our cars repaired by trained mechanics?  Don’t we still want beautiful cabinets and furniture made from wood?  Let’s not make the kids who aren’t interested in college feel like they are making a poor choice.  Let’s be grateful that they are learning something useful and contributing to our local community.

At Tripod Aluminum, we applaud you if learning a trade is the path you have chosen.  We chose that path too and are incredibly proud to be a part of the Melbourne, FL area serving the entire community from Viera over to the beaches and down to Port Saint Lucie!  We take great pride in our work creating screened porches and pool enclosures to make your backyard experience the best it can be.  And, if you are interested in this field, we would love to meet with you.  It is incredibly challenging for us to find young people to train so that we have the necessary workforce needed to meet our community’s needs.  Let’s work together to meet the Space Coast’s outdoor screen needs!  And, if you are interested in having any type of screen enclosure built or repaired at your home, please give us a call today.  We look forward to serving you.