Education Blog: Who’s Going to Fix Your Car (When Your Computer Runs Like a Dream)?
Medicine or software development? Triangle kids won’t all end up researching pharmaceuticals or designing the latest payroll software. When I was interviewing some local auto shop owners and career tech educators for an article about the reinstatement of the Apex High School auto tech program (in 2008-09), one sentiment stayed with me: even if many computer jobs eventually go overseas, someone local has to fix your sink, dishwasher or car.
The faltering economy and recent lay-offs in our area bring this point home. Some programmers may be out of work, but their cars still need fixing. And some students learning their way towards college may be better suited for a career in the trade industry.
With the plethora of degrees and universities in the Triangle area, we as parents can tend to forget this. One of my friends with an 8-year-old despairs of her son’s obsession with cars. “I keep hoping he’ll grow out of it,” she sighed recently, as she viewed his pile of birthday presents full of motorized cars, HotWheels and stunt motorcycles.
Maybe he will grow out of it, or maybe he will turn that passion into a lucrative career as an auto shop owner. I wonder how the current economic climate will affect careers in the next few years, as some of our Triangle high school students graduate and begin to shape their lives.
The faltering economy and recent lay-offs in our area bring this point home. Some programmers may be out of work, but their cars still need fixing. And some students learning their way towards college may be better suited for a career in the trade industry.
With the plethora of degrees and universities in the Triangle area, we as parents can tend to forget this. One of my friends with an 8-year-old despairs of her son’s obsession with cars. “I keep hoping he’ll grow out of it,” she sighed recently, as she viewed his pile of birthday presents full of motorized cars, HotWheels and stunt motorcycles.
Maybe he will grow out of it, or maybe he will turn that passion into a lucrative career as an auto shop owner. I wonder how the current economic climate will affect careers in the next few years, as some of our Triangle high school students graduate and begin to shape their lives.
Tags: about, do, education, in, schools?, the, think, triangle’s, vocational, what
Comment
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Comment by Holly on January 22, 2009 at 10:52am - So true! I think many of us forget about these important jobs that will stay local.
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Comment by Janel on January 19, 2009 at 6:56pm -
I was just talking about this the other day to my niece to learn more about learning to be a hair stylist. She is thinking just about "cutting hair" and I am thinking of her owning her very own spa one day! Plus, we need talented people to cut our hair and she is good at it.
Encouragement to your friend - I have a friend who was very into cars as a young guy and is now working with big time racing. He did not go to college but has learned all he could about cars and motorcycles. He loves his life and is actually making a great living.
We need good electricians and plumbers, Hair stylists and chefs - we should be encouraging our kids in what they are interested in, not what the world expects of them.
Great post. Important subject.
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