For a couple years now, newspapers have been reporting on the growing shortage of workers skilled in the trades and crafts. Some of the shortage is due to Baby Boomer retirements and some is due to the bias in Big Education against people who want to work with their hands and in favor of pushing every kid down the four-year university degree path.
Take welding for example. The American Welding Society predicts that five to six years from now, the worker shortage will hit 400,000 jobs. Right now in Wake County, one Fuquay-Varina business desperately needs skilled welders for jobs that pay $40,000 to $60,000 per year.
When will educators and parents put aside their bias against the trades and encourage kids to explore this lucrative option that offers solid job prospects now and into the future?
