Lowe’s the Latest to Address Trade Labor Shortage
A bandwagon is rolling across the country. It’s exemplified by this website and many other organizations that are devoting time, effort and money to address the nationwide shortage of skilled labor. In late February, Lowe’s Companies, Inc., the parent company of the country’s second largest home improvement store chain, announced Track to the Trades, a […]
A Registered Apprenticeship: Why The Designation Matters
Last year, both the federal government and private industry stepped forward to push the growth of apprenticeships in the United States. On the private side, it came from none other than Salesforce CEO Mark Benioff. He called for creating five million apprenticeships in the next five years. Silicon Valley companies are known for measuring success […]
What’s The Difference Between An Internship And An Apprenticeship?
Hands-on training. That’s the benefit of an internship and an apprenticeship—but it’s pretty much where the similarities end. In terms of career benefits, an internship might be expected if you’re college-bound—but there’s seldom any assurance that you’ll be able to use it to guarantee a job. On the other hand, an apprenticeship is almost a […]
The Benefits of Lifelong Learning
Are you in a hurry to finish school? Looking to start making your mark on the world? If you said ‘yes’, then take some advice from the world’s most successful leaders: The learning never stops. Don’t be disappointed by that if you don’t like school or the formality of education. Some of those who have […]
C’mon Women, You’re Welcome Too!
As I’ve written about numerous times, our nation suffers a severe shortage of skilled trade workers. The main reason has to do with social pressures and propaganda about the importance of college degree, a belief that this blog has also poked holes in. Another big reason is the reluctance of women to enter the trades. […]
I’m Not Sure What I Want To Do For A Living: Tips On Career Decisions
How did they do it? How did Barack Obama figure out he wanted to be the president of the United States one day? What helped Elon Musk decided to become an entrepreneur? Is there a course to take, or a book to read, about how to decide on a career? Don’t be concerned if you’re […]
Are You “Cut Out” For A Trade?
I composed that headline with a sense of bitter irony. Most high-school counselors and a good portion of the general public tend to think that the only people entering the trades are those “not cut out for college.” Put more bluntly, they think college is for smart kids while the worst students gravitate toward the […]
The Science Behind Online Quizzes Get Reward With Valuable Information
Engaging their curiosity makes students hungry to learn. It’s this natural curiosity that draws us to online quizzes. In a best-case scenario, we answer questions and gain insight about ourselves or a subject that interests us. And then sometimes, we come across those “what color is your aura” kind of quizzes. There goes 5 to […]
Student Loan Defaults Keep Rising
Regular readers of this blog know that a subject I hammer on repeatedly is the high cost of college and the dubious return on investment that brings for many college graduates – even worse for college dropouts. If you’re in the mood for a review, check out this blog from last August. Bringing me back […]
The Skilled Trades Go High Tech
One of the biggest myths of working in the trades is that it involves a lot of physical grunt work. The image most of the public holds of trade workers is of a muscular individual who gets paid more for brawn than brains. If that was ever true, it’s certainly not the case anymore. The […]