Why Are Young People Not Learning Trades/Skills?

[bluebell]

Nearly everyone ive asked to do a "job" is at or over retirement age, busy as hell? Examples, metal worker/welder, blacksmith, motorcycle dent, classic bike painter, thatcher, motorcycle seat recoverer, maker, etc etc etc? Just named a few, i bet others can name many other skills/ trades, that are crying out for young people, who dont want an "academic" education, but a skill, money is often secondary to you just cant get them? Its like that currant TV programme, restorers the professionals, rehopostry, wood working, using a "english wheel" to create metal panels, panel beating, all these trades/skills are still in demand so why are not young people taking them up as a way to earn a living, rather than as a hobby for retired professionals?

 

[40 series]

It’s the education system to blame

 

[Wood field]

Where are the apprenticeships?
Served my time in vickers , 1980 I started, full EITB four (1/2) years plus college and night school
A year or two later the apprentices were on YTS , then after that they dried up
If industry isn’t there then they don’t need apprentices

 

[ford 7810]

Had knacker wagon in yesterday two dead ewes he said all or most of there drivers are over pension age some well into 70s . not a very appealing job I suppose.

 

[Vader]

Blair..
Said everyone should goto uni.
No grading of students at comp to put in appropriate class.

So the 'bright ' kids goto uni, get a sh!t€ degree on sociology.

The kids who not so academic minded, but practically minded used to be guided down the trades route with different classes. now they struggle in lessons, get detentions and drop out school soon as possible with no grades or skills.

 

[ford 7810]

Our youngest daughter is training to be a midwife she loves it and just started her third year, she is totally unpaid labour, NHS is not worth working for she has to pay all her university fees and board fees and work for nawt she gets mileage money for fuel for driving in her car to placement hospitals but only with an argument about the mileage fees ,And then has to pay to park when she gets there . she is an absolute credit to the younger generation and us.

 

[Vader]

Where are the apprenticeships?
Served my time in vickers , 1980 I started, full EITB four (1/2) years plus college and night school
A year or two later the apprentices were on YTS , then after that they dried up
If industry isn’t there then they don’t need apprentices

Other is stuff like insurance.
I had schools asking if kids can do work experience. Buy they would not pay insurance if anything went wrong.

Plus they said kids could not go near machines or livestock apart from chickens...

 

[Deereone]

My Granddaughter has applied to 19 establishments for an apprenticeship. None were able to help. Some because of her (young) age some because she is female But most because they didn't want all the extra admin and losing time by training etc.

My point being it is not the lack of will to work but all the outside interference; health and safety etc

 

[ford 7810]

Other is stuff like insurance.
I had schools asking if kids can do work experience. Buy they would not pay insurance if anything went wrong.

Plus they said kids could not go near machines or livestock apart from chickens...

Just a bloody joke then

 

[Wood field]

Other is stuff like insurance.
I had schools asking if kids can do work experience. Buy they would not pay insurance if anything went wrong.

Plus they said kids could not go near machines or livestock apart from chickens...

I remember the school open evening when my lad was going up to secondary school, quick tour of the then new academy, we got to the Technical classrooms , I expected woodwork and metalwork but was told “ we don’t do that these days”

 

[ford 7810]

I remember the school open evening when my lad was going up to secondary school, quick tour of the then new academy, we got to the Technical classrooms , I expected woodwork and metalwork but was told “ we don’t do that these days”

No metalwork,woodwork, agricultural studies or home economics just nothing practical the only things I would’ve been good at

 

[Ffermer Bach]

Where are the apprenticeships?
Served my time in vickers , 1980 I started, full EITB four (1/2) years plus college and night school
A year or two later the apprentices were on YTS , then after that they dried up
If industry isn’t there then they don’t need apprentices

one of my ex colleagues, used to organise apprenticeships pre YOPS (and other government funding), her opinion was that actually the quality of the provision and training got worse once government became involved.

 

[Wood field]

No metalwork,woodwork, agricultural studies or home economics just nothing practical the only things I would’ve been good at

Our secondary school had “ rural studies “ an old chap called mr Duckworth held the class captive, we did engineering science in a class overlooking the rural studies groups, he was castrating piglets in front of them , they grew veg in gardens , all sorts mostly and not being rude , for the less academic kids
It’s all gone now though

 

[Wood field]

one of my ex colleagues, used to organise apprenticeships pre YOPS (and other government funding), her opinion was that actually the quality of the provision and training got worse once government became involved.

I think a lot went to two years , I got told of local garages that would take lads on at 16 , give them the 2 yrs and then get rid to replace with a fresh 16 yr old
I wanted to be a motor mechanic but my dad seen what was happening and I got in at Vickers

 

[Johnnyboxer]

Lack of drive & aspiration, for the majority perhaps

 

[Hilly]

Schools just steer them all to university direction , manual jobs are taught to be beneath them , truck driving pays alot better than many jobs now but you wouldnt get a careers officer encouraging yoof into haulage and if they did it would have to be a degree in management or something …. My lad took an apprenticeship route into accountancy works hard got no debts and new car his mate went to uni do same thing , lazy loads of debt no car and will find work really hard after years of dossing about …. Hmmm my other lad is apprentice agg engineer great jobs but schools are not even telling the kids about this sort of thing and they discourage ordinary jobs which truth told vast majority of us only any good for anyway.

 

[Lamb's Orchard]

A significant minority think they are going to earn their fortune by Tic Toc videos or being 'influencers'. Money for nothing!

 

[Wood field]

A significant minority think they are going to earn their fortune by Tic Toc videos or being 'influencers'. Money for nothing!

And your chicks for free

 

[Lamb's Orchard]

And your chicks for free

Yeah, nearly posted a Dire Straits link.

 

[yoki]

Our eldest decided, off his own bat, to pursue a career in sportsturf.

Now at thirty he has worked in England, Germany, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and is currently second in command at a private members club in central Florida, where he has been since pre-covid.

If you are good at your job, which he seems to be, there are plentiful job opportunities in the UK and pretty much anywhere in the world that you would fancy working.

Thing is, there are probably plenty of other professions offering similar opportunities for anyone prepared to make the effort.

Don't leave it to the schools to decide your kids future, encourage and support them in thinking for themselves, they are your responsibility after all, not the careers teachers.