Mike Rowe owns an idiot

[House of Wax]

I didn`t misinterpret anything. Those were words from Mike Rowe

[The Driver]

I do think you are misinterpreting the sentiment behind that quote. It`s not meant to be a dig at the working class or those who do not attend college. It`s meant to say that for taxpayers, it costs more money to keep someone incarcerated for a certain length of time vs. moving to a public university model which is one of Sanders` main platforms he`s running on.

You thought medical fraud was bad, if we have a public education model do you know how rampant it will be? It`s already bad enough. I for one am the working class an the free college thing is BS. I paid my way, an GUESS WHAT ITS BECAUSE I WANTED TO ATTEND COLLEGE. This is what most liberals are missing, with all these programs an subsidies there are plenty that just go because they have nothing else better to do, many that just don`t care. Why should I have to pay for schooling for someone that treats it as 13th grade? When you pay, you care.

[House of Wax]

When you pay, you care.

This is SUCH an important point that relates to so much more than just college.

[heisenberg]

I didn`t misinterpret anything. Those were words from Mike Rowe

Thought your name was Mike.

You thought medical fraud was bad, if we have a public education model do you know how rampant it will be? It`s already bad enough. I for one am the working class an the free college thing is BS. I paid my way, an GUESS WHAT ITS BECAUSE I WANTED TO ATTEND COLLEGE.

Yeah, I paid my way through college too. I never said one way or the other what the best approach is. I was relaying Sanders` platform.

[House of Wax]

5.6 MILLION REASONS TO STOP IGNORING THE SKILLS GAP

Last week, my personal toilet at mikeroweWORKS Headquarters coughed up a disgusting clog of bad advice, noxious bromides, and odorous stereotypes, leaving my entire office awash in the horrific stench of myth and nonsense. With no licensed plumbers on hand, I was forced to address the problem myself, pulling each offending fallacy from it’s cardboard tube of allegorical poo, and confronting it with a mix of government statistics and righteous indignation. As always, my objective was twofold - to shine a light on America’s widening skills gap, and debunk the growing perception that “all the good jobs are gone.”

This latest effort is called “Hot Under the Blue Collar,” and it was sponsored by One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, and Mr. Sparky Electrical. Like so many other companies who rely on a skilled workforce, the people who own home service businesses are struggling to find the next generation of tradespeople who will keep our lights on and our pipes clear. Right now, thousands of good jobs - literally thousands - exist within these three companies alone. But no one seems to want them, and the reasons have nothing to do with low pay, poor benefits, or a lack of available training. They have more to do with the metaphorical miasma of misinformation currently clogging my commode. Consider:

Back in 2009, 12 million people were out of work. Most Americans assumed that could be fixed with 12 million new jobs. Thus, “job creation” became headline news. But then, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics quietly announced that companies were struggling to fill 2.1 million skilled positions. That statistic generated a lot of questions.

How could so many good jobs go unfilled when so many people were out of work? Why weren’t people lining up for these opportunities? Why weren’t apprenticeship programs exploding with eager applicants?

Democrats blamed corporate greed. “Just offer workers more money,” they said, “and the skills gap will close itself.”

Republicans blamed the unemployed. “See? The jobs are out there,” they said. “Now get off your lazy ass and get one!”

Consequently, the skills gap became politicized, and ultimately overshadowed by unemployment figures, interest rates, inflation, and just about every other economic indicator. And so, the existence of 2.1 million good jobs got very little attention.

Now, eight years later, unemployment is down, interest rates are under control, and inflation is in check. But the overall labor participation rate is very low, and the skills gap is wider than ever. In fact, the latest numbers are out, and they are astonishing. According to the Department of Labor, America now has 5.6 million job openings. America has near record 5.6 million job openings | Money - KMBC Home

Forget your politics for a moment, and consider the enormity of what’s happening here. Millions of people who have stopped looking for work, are ignoring 5.6 million genuine opportunities. That’s not a polemic, or a judgment, or an opinion. It’s a fact. And so is this: most of those 5.6 million opportunities don’t require a diploma - they require require a skill.

Unfortunately, the skilled trades are no longer aspirational in these United States. In a society that’s convinced a four-year degree is the best path for the most people, a whole category of good jobs have been relegated to some sort of “vocational consolation prize.” Is it any wonder we have 1.3 trillion dollars in outstanding student loans? Is it really a surprise that vocational education has pretty much evaporated from high schools? Obviously, the number of available jobs and the number of unemployed people are not nearly as correlated as most people assume.

I’m no economist, but the skills gap doesn’t seem all that mysterious - it seems like a reflection of what we value. Five and half million unfilled jobs is clearly a terrible drag on the economy and a sad commentary of what many people consider to be a "good job," but it also represents a tremendous opportunity for anyone willing to learn a trade and apply themselves.

As long as Americans remain addicted to affordable electricity, smooth roads, indoor plumbing and climate control, the opportunities in the skilled trades will never go away. They’ll never be outsourced. And those properly trained will always have the opportunity to expand their trade into a small business. But if we don’t do something to reinvigorate the trades, and make a persuasive case for good jobs that actually exist, I`m afraid the metaphorical crap in my literal toilet will never go away, and millions of great opportunities will go down the drain.

In closing, please - don’t let anyone tell you that opportunity is dead in America. That’s the biggest myth of all, and in honor of President’s Day, I propose we smash that turd to pieces and flush it away with all due speed. In a few weeks, mikeroweWORKS will release another batch of Work Ethic Scholarships. This year, I put a call out to a few large companies that rely on skilled labor, and they`ve agreed to help me fund a new round. I’m grateful. Along with the help of many on this page, we’ve raised enough to make a sizable splash in mid March.

I’ll also provide a link to “Hot Under the Blue Collar,” which probably won’t win a Cleo, but just might keep the conversation lively.

Stay tuned…

Mike

[heisenberg]

Nobody listens to me when I bring up skilled labor vs. office work and how it`s available if you want to work for it and learn a new skill. It`s insane. I work in higher-ed and people are wondering why our enrollments are down and I don`t think anyone is realizing that it`s simply just not smart financially for everybody to go to college with how expensive it is and with how oversaturated with unemployed graduates their fields are.

[House of Wax]

I`d put a bullet in my head if I was stuck in an office all day

[The Driver]

I thought that too, until I discovered angel list. There is some seriously BAD A$$ tech/solutions out there. I for one am a huge fan of tech, no all has to be software, the hardware is incredible these days. Anything from 3D print modeling to the most advanced ear phones on the face of the planet (Yes, I will be doing a review on them as I was lucky enough to get a pair )

[RaysWay]

I thought that too, until I discovered angel list. There is some seriously BAD A$$ tech/solutions out there. I for one am a huge fan of tech, no all has to be software, the hardware is incredible these days. Anything from 3D print modeling to the most advanced ear phones on the face of the planet (Yes, I will be doing a review on them as I was lucky enough to get a pair )

Can we get a teaser on the earphones? I love high quality audio.

[The Driver]

Can we get a teaser on the earphones? I love high quality audio.

Some world class specks

4gb internal memory
Waterproof (Great for surfing)
noise canceling
heart rate + speed (Great for snowboarding)
Bluetooth & NFC, they can run without a master aka they don`t need a controller like a phone or iPod. They play completely by themselves, touch controls built into the units them selves

[House of Wax]

Jim Childers writes…
Hey Mike - I hear all the Presidential candidates talking about the "right" of "free" college and how college is necessary to function in our society. I have not heard a single candidate opine about the necessity of training for the “trades.” Why do you suppose our "anointed ones" have such a myopic view of the blue-collar class even as they court their votes?"
Hi Jim -
If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say that most candidates don’t focus on the necessity of trade schools, because most voters would prefer their kids get a four-year degree from a University. If a majority of voters valued skilled labor as much as they value a sheepskin, I suspect Donald would be campaigning in a hardhat, Hillary would be stumping in steel-toed pumps, and Bernie would be handing out free welding torches.
Truth is, a lot of well-intended parents still believe that kids who attend trade schools do so because they’re not “college material.” That’s an absurd stereotype with no basis in reality, but for the millions of parents who want something “better” for their kids, it’s reason enough to discourage a career in the trades. Unfortunately, this reasoning is not only faulty, it’s destroying economies large and small.
Consider the number of college graduates today, who can’t find work in their chosen field. Hundreds of thousands of highly educated twenty-somethings are either unemployed or getting paid a pittance to do something totally unrelated to the education they borrowed a fortune to acquire. Collectively, they hold 1.3 trillion dollars of debt, and no real training for the jobs that actually exist. Now, consider the countries widening skills gap - hundreds of thousands of good jobs gone begging because no one wants to learn a useful trade. It’s madness. “College For All” might sound good on the campaign trail, but in real life, it’s a dangerous platitude that reinforces the ridiculous notion that college is for people who use their brains, and trade schools are for people who use their hands. As if the two can not be combined.
Last month, I was invited to comment on the annual list of America’s “Top Jobs” and “Top Schools,” (as determined by one of America’s “Top Magazines.”) I passed. Not just because I’m suspicious of lists - I passed because nowhere on the list of “top colleges” was a single trade school mentioned. Not a one. Not surprisingly, none of the careers my foundation supports made the list of “top jobs.”
This is a classic example of how society quietly discourages careers in the skilled trades. We don’t publish lists of careers called “Jobs We Don’t Want Our Kids To Do.” Instead, we publish “America’s Top Jobs,” and leave off dozens of critical professions. Likewise, no one makes a list called “Schools To Attend If You’re Not That Bright.” Instead, we announce the “Top Colleges,” and omit schools that train people for a whole category of critical vocations. It’s a brilliant way to reinforce the existing stereotype, promote a one-size-fits-all approach to education, and guarantee a workforce that’s dangerously out of balance. But the scariest thing about these lists, is not their obvious bias - it’s their degree of influence on otherwise sensible people.
Would a sensible person recommend The Godfather to someone who hates violence - just because it won Best Picture? Would a sensible person recommend a Steakhouse to a vegetarian, just because Yelp gives it 5-stars? Would a sensible person recommend The Ritz to a traveler on a budget, just because Trip Adviser says it’s the best hotel in the city? Of course not. But every year, lots of otherwise sensible people recommend a four-year college to kids who would be far better served by Trade School. They defer to someone else’s idea of what a Top School is - regardless of suitability and cost.
I’m not an economist Jim, but I’m pretty sure this is how college got so expensive in the first place. We start by exaggerating it’s importance. Then we call it a “right.” That creates demand and guarantees supply. Then we free up billions of dollars, and encourage millions of teenagers to borrow whatever it takes to pay the freight. The pressure on these kids is enormous - from their parents, their guidance counselors, and their peers. So they sign on the dotted line, and that’s that. Is it any wonder the cost of a degree has risen faster than the cost of food, energy, healthcare, and even real-estate? Is it any wonder some politicians want to fix the problem by forgiving the debt altogether and making college free for everyone?
It’s hard to look at what’s happening with education and not be reminded of the housing collapse. As I recall, that all started when politicians campaigned on the idea that home ownership was a fundamental part of the American Dream, and therefor a “right” that all Americans should enjoy. Then, those same politicians allowed banks to offer adjustable rate mortgages with no money down to people with no credit and no collateral. Then, they allowed Wall Street to roll out mortgage-backed securities. Ultimately, thousands of Americans were given the “right” to borrow billions of dollars and move into homes that were wildly overpriced.
There’s plenty of blame to go around, and I’m happy to condemn the crooks in DC and Wall Street who drove the bus over the cliff. But the real-estate bubble wasn’t inflated by corporate greed alone - it was inflated with the mistaken belief that living in a house is somehow “better” than living in the same sized apartment; that paying down a mortgage is somehow “smarter” than paying rent. I’m afraid the same kind of thinking that pushed people into over-priced homes they can’t afford has pushed people into over-priced degrees that don’t lead to jobs. And to those arguing that a college education should be a “right,” I’ve got to ask, if that’s really the case, what’s next? Physical fitness?
Seriously, why not? A healthy body is no less important than a healthy mind. So why aren’t the candidates talking about free gym memberships? When they do, I can tell you what happens next - we’ll see a list of “Top Gyms” that provide the very best equipment and the very best trainers. Screw the YMCA - if you really care about getting fit, you’ll enroll at the best gym possible, and if the cost is prohibitive, no sweat - you’ll have access to a “Fitness Loan!” Then, when the price of gym memberships go through the roof, and people start defaulting on their payments, the feds can bail everyone out. Because if physical fitness is a “right,” shouldn`t it also be free?
I had a drinks with a buddy last week who wants free college for everyone, and ran this exact metaphor past him. He agreed that fitness was important, but told me the government doesn’t subsidize gym memberships because physical fitness doesn’t require access to a gym. He pointed out that anyone can get in shape at home doing sit-ups, lunges, and jumping jacks.
I agreed with my friend, but suggested that access to knowledge is not much different. Today, anybody with an Internet connection can access 99% of all the accumulated knowledge on the planet. You Tube alone offers thousands of college courses and lectures for free.
My friend told me it was unfair to compare a course at Princeton to the same course on You Tube. I told him I wasn’t just comparing courses - I was comparing cost. New stadiums, student unions, and beautiful campuses are all very nice, but they don’t make you smarter, or more employable; they just make your education that much more expensive. My friend then suggested we change the subject - which I took as a victory, and we retired to the pool table - where I suffered multiple defeats and picked up the tab.
Point is, there’s an excellent case to be made for attending a four-year school - if you can afford it. But if you can’t, it makes no sense to assume a mortgage-sized debt in exchange for a general base of knowledge that doesn’t lead to a job. This stubborn idea that a four-year degree is the best path for the most people is ruining lives and wrecking our country. And it’s not going to stop if we don’t confront the stigmas and stereotypes surrounding the skilled trades, and dispel them for the nonsense they are.
Whatever your politics, this is not the time for our candidates to be promoting one type of education over another. The truth about education is this - there can be no hope of success without one. Period. But right now, the majority of available jobs do NOT require a four-year degree - they require training - the exact kind of training that parents, guidance counselors, and presidential candidates should be encouraging at every turn.
Mike
PS In the interest of putting some money where my mouth is, check out our new Work Ethic Scholarship Program. We`ve scrounged up another $400,000 to train folks for the kinds of jobs I’m talking about. (And if you already have a liberal arts degree, or a secret love of Greek architecture, we won’t hold it against you.) Apply here. mikeroweworks.org

[Bunky]

Colleges, especially private, are no different than big Pharma and the medical industry. They are rackets.

[House of Wax]

Except I`m willing to bet the medical industry at least helps far greater number of people

[House of Wax]

Off The Wall

Maryann Lane says…"Lost respect for you for sharing the post of the lovely Amy and her flying nerves. It was mean. You may have meant it as a joke, but there was meanness in it. One of those passive aggressive things."

Hi Maryann - Thanks for the heads-up. It’s always a drag to lose someones respect - even if you didn’t know you had it in the first place. For what it’s worth, The Lovely Amy was fine with me posting her high-altitude angst. I would have never done so without her permission. As for the video itself, it’s now been viewed over 525K times. Pilots, flight attendants, and a legion of other nervous fliers have weighed in with support, and lots of people responded in a way that brought Amy considerable delight.

More importantly though, 41 people have since purchased a dozen of Amy’s custom baked sugar cookies, each decorated with a completely edible image of yours truly - a fine way to support the mikeroweWORKS foundation, and keep Amy on the solid ground of her industrial strength kitchen. Mike Rowe Photo Cookies Created by The Official MRW Baker Amy's Cakes Catering | eBay

Dozens of cookies are being baked as we speak, and everyone who placed an order will receive the attached postcard as well - a non-edible but completely genuine sentiment from me to you. In other words Maryanne, I’d prefer you respect me in the morning, but if such a thing is no longer possible between us, please order a dozen of Amy’s cookies, and eat me.

Bon appetit!

Mike

[Accumulator]

...Consider the number of college graduates today, who can’t find work in their chosen field. Hundreds of thousands of highly educated twenty-somethings are either unemployed or getting paid a pittance to do something totally unrelated to the education they borrowed a fortune to acquire...

Eh, maybe Im out-of-touch, but I dont consider college to be a "white-collar trade school", but rather a means of learning about oneself and mastering the skill of thinking.

Ive never done much with my BS in Accounting, but Im Who I Am because of my overall college education. My father earned a Liberal Arts degree, but was hired by [a large manufacturing Corp.] as an executive trainee because "he knew how to think". They sent him to Business and then Law school to learn the "business stuff" *after* they hired him with the assumption that you can always teach [a certain type of guy] the business stuff.

My wife earned her Masters in French Lit ..talk about a "silly" degree, huh?!?...yet she feels it was an extremely beneficial experience that was well worth it (she worked her way through college and Grad School to get that degree too). Sure didnt "hold her back" in any of the fields she ended up working in.