Society tells us that we have to do well in high school so that we can go to college. And that we have to go to college so we can get a good job.
But unlike our parents and previous generations, Americans today are faced with enormous student loan debt.
Americans currently owe more than $1.48 trillion in student loan debt, according to Student Loan Hero.com, which is $260 billion more than the total U.S. credit card debt. And the cost to attend college has skyrocketed by about 260 percent between 1980 and 2014.
While studies show that earnings increase when one has a college education, some high school students find that academia and a future corporation position just isn’t for them.
They’d rather start making money straight away after high school and learn on the job.
But most who think that way are seen as radical and against the grain. But one school district in Virginia is portraying the straight to job lifestyle as a plausible and legitimate post-graduation plan.
The Henrico County Public Schools is celebrating students who received industry-based training and technical certification during high school and plan on heading straight into the workforce after graduation.
They held their first “Career and Technical Letter of Intent Signing Day” on March 28.
“In recent years, it’s become a common sight: heralded high school athletes gather in gyms to sign letters-of-intent to play for NCAA athletic programs, as their classmates cheer and members of the media look on,” the district wrote on their Facebook page. “Henrico Schools’ Career and Technical Education program decided that athletes weren’t the only ones who deserved to have their hard work recognized as they look to the future.”
TODAY reports that 12 seniors were recognized that day and signed letters of intent to work as machinists or apprentices at companies like Rolls-Royce’s aeronautical division, paving and construction, electrical, and HVAC firms.
Mac Beaton, the director of Henrico County Public Schools’ certified and technical education program, said the program helps to get parents on board to see the value in this type of training and career path.
“We’re always trying to figure out how to address the skills gap when the general mentality of parents is ‘I want my child to go to college. One way to do this is to help them see the value of career and technical education,” he told TODAY.
“When you start talking data that affects parents’ pocketbooks, that gets their attention. With tech the way it is now, when employers hire, they want someone they don’t want to have to train, and college doesn’t necessarily train you for these jobs.”
The public has applauded the school district for their efforts.
“This is fabulous!! The world runs because of our tradesman and women. It’s wonderful to honor and celebrate those who join the trades,” said one woman on Facebook.
“Amazing!! Congrats to these seniors. High five to this school for understanding that this deserves praise and attention!” said another.
Beaton said he wanted students to see how the skills they’ve learned in school can be applied in the workforce and wanted to have the signing earlier in the year so that companies could invest in the students and have them ready to start work when they graduate.
“How many parents can say, ‘My child has full health insurance, two weeks of paid vacation, and will be making $40,000 a year’ when they are graduating from high school?” said Beaton.
“Dirty Jobs” host Mike Rowe is a big proponent of technical training and programs like these.
He shared the district’s post about signing day on his Facebook page.
“This is the way forward. No attempt to close the skills gap will ever succeed until or unless we celebrate those who are willing to learn a skill that’s in demand. This is not just a terrific idea, it’s a model for every other technical school in the country… Here’s hoping others will follow Henrico’s lead.”
You can see the district’s full post below:
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In recent years, it’s become a common sight: heralded high school athletes gather in gyms to sign letters-of-intent to…
Posted by Henrico County Public Schools onWednesday, April 11, 2018
