Learn a Trade or Go to College?

What would I tell my son?

I went to college, because my dad worked in factories. He asked me to please try a semester of college, as I had no interest at the time. Hated high school. Tried out college and was hooked. This was also over two decades ago. Times change. What would I tell my own son?

The big issue I see, especially on wordcel sites like X (former Twitter) is snobbery against blue collar and working class people. Some of these guys claim that we are “holding people” back by telling them to learn a trade instead of attend college. Some even say it’s hypocritical for people like to advise this. “Why aren’t you working a trade, Cerno?!”

The answer is I loved college. I listen to teaching company lectures for fun. I’m a bookworm. If anything, the risk I face is gnosticism.

The rest of my family, including my dad, does manual work and trades work. I don’t feel above any of them. I find it disgusting that many are dismissive of blue collar work. It shows how out of touch “conservative writers” are. Dorks.

When I write about the world, it’s from a place of asking: How can I made the lives of my readers better?

A lot of men go to college because they were told to. They aren’t especially bookish. They flail around and then end up working an Office Space movie style job.

Especially today, that’s a route for quiet desperation, with limited upside.

I would rather work a trade than be a middle manager.

What if I had learned a trade? Here’s how it would have shaken out.

If I had worked a trade, my natural ambition and intelligence would have me going from HVAC worker or plumber or whatever, to managing or owning my own shop. I’d make more money that way than writing for a living. HVAC owners are earning more than most BigLaw lawyers.

I also talk to people and learn a lot. I’d have built up a network and probably be a real estate developer by now. Knowing myself and how I operate, my net worth would have been significantly higher if I had started off working a trade.

What I’d tell my own son.

All of my children train martial arts and live a life of physical culture. Yesterday at lunch with friends, one of the kids was put into time out. I asked the Dad if he lets his kids work off time out minutes with physical exercise? He said good idea and the jumping jacks started. My kids all know to do squats if they want dessert. At the house they run laps.

We also emphasize The Life of the Book. Our house is full of them, and if kids want our attention, they know we will drop everything if they come over and ask us to read them a book.

If my son has my IQ, then he’ll be cultivated into the monk lifestyle. If I get the vibe that he’s not into that, then I’ll mentor him in some basic cash flow, try to find trade work he enjoys, and set him up to eventually own his own business and real estate projects.

My son would be happier with the freedom that comes with being your own small business owner than in droning out under fluorescent lights.

There are many ways to live your life.

Critics of Learn a Trade discourse.

Because my family all worked in trades or factories, I see the physical toll it takes. My dad’s knees aren’t the same as the older guys who were teachers or lawyers or white collar workers. You need to take care of your body. Fortunately the “ego” factor of blue collar work is changing. People are wearing ear plugs, although not nearly often enough, and eye goggles. If your kid is going to do a trade, remind them that you only get one body, you need to take care of it.

Some note that the “average salary” of tradesmen vs college graduates. It’s true that there used to be more money in college than work. I think these numbers will close in on each other especially as AI hollows out the middle of white collar work.

That’s a skewed analysis, because if you’re not going to do more than show up for your job as a plumber or electrician, then why would you be making more because you went to college? You’d be phoning in going to classes, if you even graduated.

Given current trends with AI’s, I would not be snubbing my nose at trades.