Having college degree and trade skill is best of both worlds

There are polarizing debates where you can identify with both sides. 

Real or imagined, I have seen a movement requesting to emphasize trade
schools to youngsters with the same passion as earning college degrees. I
share that belief because one is no more or less important than the other. 

Before I go into facts, figures, beliefs, etc. I want to lay the groundwork
for my perspective because I believe I can offer one that many cannot. 

I am a 46-year old first generation American with both parents families
coming to the United States from Italy. Shoutout to my parents (Joe and
Iris D’Adamo) and grandparents (Vincenzo and Ines D’Adamo; Alfredo
and Giulia Santi). My father was a service station owner from 1965-2002,
in Napa, CA, before handing the reins to my brother, Joseph Michael
D’Adamo. 

I worked for my dad around my school and sports schedule, even before
high school and into my college years. Pumping gas and changing tires,
I learned the value of hard work and having a good work ethic. My parents,
who came to the country in 1948 (father) and 1954 (mother), spoke no
English and emphasized strongly to me and all of my siblings to go to
college because it was an opportunity they never had but wished they could
fulfill. I remember my father telling me one day, “The average guy with a
high school diploma makes $5 an hour. The average guy with a college
degree makes $18 an hour.” Mind you, this advice came in the mid-1980s
if you are mystified by the hourly wages. 

That aforementioned advice swayed me to go to college along with seeing
one of my sisters (Annette), who is eight years older than me, get passed
over for a promotion because she did not have a college degree. My sister,
who was in her early 20s, then decided to attain her four-year degree, which
she did at age 25 if memory serves me correctly. 

Years later (1997), I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast
journalism from the University of Nebraska. I worked briefly in broadcasting
but went on to become a sports reporter in the newspaper industry for 18
years. I exited the industry in Dec. 2014 but transitioned my career change
by getting my CDL Class B driver’s license in Oct. 2012. I had the
opportunity to work part-time as a bus driver for two years before getting
my full-time opportunity with Alhambra Water. 

My experience brings another layer to the college degree vs. trade discussion.
College degrees have become increasingly emphasized. In the meantime,
trade oriented jobs remain plentiful but with far fewer bodies to fill them.
I’m not going to bore you with mounds of data but in 1940, 5.5% of males
and 3.8% of females completed four years of college or more according to
www.statista.com. By contrast, 34.6% of males and 35.4% of females
completed four or more years of college in 2018. 

As far as earning potential, there are factors such as gender, degree achieved
and level of postsecondary education. If you base jobs on educational
attainment, 35% require at least a bachelor’s degree, 30% require some
college or an associate’s degree and 36% do not require education beyond
high school. 

Though I am proud to have my four year degree and would not change
anything, I believe trade jobs are extremely vital, everything from welders,
construction workers, electricians, machinists, auto technicians, commercial
drivers etc. just to name a few. Those fields pay pretty well, in some cases
better that some that require college degrees. 

College degrees (specifically bachelors), however, can take 4-6 years in part
because there are so many course requirements that have little to nothing to
do with a person’s major. Seriously, I have not used my Western Civilization
class knowledge since I completed my final in the fall semester of 1992. I
also can’t think of the last time I used algebra. I could give many other
examples but I won’t in the interest of space. 

Conversely, with trade schools, you will get hands-on training in your field.
They are also less costly and less time consuming, two years at most in some
cases. I received my Class B license (Falcon Trucking School; Vallejo, CA)
just by taking a two-week course, costing all of $3,000. If you factor in
studying for DMV written tests, it was closer to three months but you get
the point. 

What I would espouse is a different movement and this is aimed at
youngsters wanting to go the trade school route: Even if you are so hell
bent on working in the trade field, get your four-year degree first (or at
minimum complete general ed course requirements), and then go to your
trade school. You will have the best of both worlds. I feel blessed to have
such. 

Why? I have seen this happen more times than I can count. An 18-year
old kid (anyone) graduates from high school, goes to trade school, gets a job,
makes pretty good money. Many trade fields, however, involve physical
work. Then, 10-15 years later, “I’m tired of this, I don’t want to do this the
rest of my life. I think I will go back to school and get a degree.” Well, at
that point, you are in your late 20s/early 30s. If you are not married and
don’t have kids, it’s easier to achieve but if you have a family, different
story. I’m not saying it’s impossible but it is a steep uphill climb. It is better
to choose the path of less resistance.

By having both a four-year degree and a trade degree, you have a much wider
array of options. The “you don’t need college to have a well paying job” or
“I know people without four year degrees making more money than those
with them” is a short-sighted argument. 

Both are important and if you have both, so much the better.