Even in the '70s when I was a VoTec student there was a big push to get the "smart" kids into colege prep courses and have them go to colege after graduation, and dump all of the stupid kids and special ed kids into the VoTec programs. Of course some smart kids went the VoTec route of their own choice, but it was not encouraged. If the educators/guidance counselers had thier way the skilled trades people would be a bunch of dummies, and our country would be in really bad shape.

I agree with John20013 that an education goes a long way in getting a good start in a career. It is foolish, but many companies do not want to move trades people into engineering or 'technical" positions.I formerly worked for Dana corp. There were technical positions that required a degree to be considered for - any degree - even if it was not at all related to the job. One of My friends became a test engineer - with a degree in biology. It would have been more logical to start with someone from the skilled trades.  I am a fim believer in the apprenticeship programs for the trades that offer them. Apprenticeship offers education and experience while earning a wage, as oposed to colege which You usually end up in debt for. I am not opposed to colege education in the fields it is needed for, but to spend all that time and money getting a degree in a field that You later find You don't like, or that offers no employment makes no sense to me. VoTec high school gives the oportunity to learn the basics of a trade, and more importantly to find out if You want to work in that trade. All for free, a point that most kids can't seem to grasp. Of course there are professions which offer much greater compensation potential, but like any job You have to like what You are doing, or You are going to be an unhappy camper 40+ hours a week. There are a lot of unhappy campers in the worold.