President Trump wants to merge the Departments of Labor and Education. That makes a lot of sense seen alongside his emphasis on apprenticeships to better equip young people with the skills needed to land good-paying jobs.
Too many manufacturing, construction and service businesses can’t find the technical workers they need to expand, because the whole emphasis at the vast majority of high schools-with considerable support from the federal Department of Education-is on a general education to prepare students for college. Too scarce are the programs that teach practical skills, coupled with on-site work experience, that permit students to jump into decent paying positions on graduation.
Part of the problem is the explosion of specialized skill requirements created by automation, computers, artificial intelligence and the rapidly growing service economy that are beyond the scope of what most high schools and even entire school systems can provide without outside help.
Apprenticeship programs created by businesses, industry associations and unions-and championed by Trump-could help high schools address this resource challenge and better balance the mix of college-bound and vocationally trained graduates.
Currently, nearly 70 percent of high school graduates enroll in two or four year colleges. Many are not adequately prepared for or inclined by temperament to significantly profit from the kind of abstract thinking required in an undergraduate curriculum, drop out or graduate without the critical thinking skills needed for entry-level professional or managerial work and end up serving coffee at Starbucks or in similar semi-skilled employment.
Parents and students shouldn’t be blamed, because employers give preference to college graduates in hiring for many jobs that hardly require the esoteric stuff we do at universities, for example, insurance adjusters, cell phone salespeople, makeup artists and the like. Diplomas are used as evidence applicants can follow instructions, navigate a bureaucracy and show up every day.
