I think about this topic often. I have a Master's degree and my brother has a trade. He always has a job, makes more money than me, and has a profession, but I have no idea what the hell my "skill" is.

College is great for expanding our minds and thinking critically, but most degrees don't provide job skills. As a young Gen X, we were told we had to go to university or we'd be flipping burgers, yet food preparation is more essential than most of the office jobs I've had. The statement used classism to sell degrees and perceive trades as 'blue-collar'. Ridiculous.

My boomer dad knew how to fix everything and had an office job. He changed the oil on our cars, repaired the engines, built extensions on our home, etc., and if there was a handyman job he couldn't do, he always knew someone who could help. Unfortunately, younger generations (like me) struggle to change a flat tire (for the record, I can change a flat tire lol), and we have a shortage of trades people.

Not only did we lose essential trades, we lost the bonding experience that comes along with them. :(