Commentary
Decades ago, there were far more Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) programs and occupational trade courses in secondary schools.
However, across the years many of these programs were eliminated, often in favor of technology courses. I have nothing against tech subjects, but they don’t offer enough variety for students who might not want to attend a university or prepare for high-tech fields.
Implementing ROTC programs in more high schools would have a beneficial effect for society and for the students who enter these programs. They introduce discipline and structure into a teenager’s life, as well as a commitment to a cause larger than themselves as they build character and offer students the chance both to work as a team and to pull their own weight.
These programs can also instill a love of country and a desire for selfless service. After high school, some of these students would be likely to go on to more-advanced ROTC programs in college, or they might go directly into the active or reserve armed forces of the United States. The benefits, incentives, and salaries in the military have been improving in recent years.
The high school component gives students an edge over other graduates who enter the military without prior ROTC training. Indeed, many new recruits who lack discipline or a solid work ethic have difficulty adjusting to a military lifestyle.
In addition, too many occupational trade programs were phased out of the public secondary schools in the 1970s and 1980s. That was a mistake for a number of reasons. First, it took away a large segment of the existing elective courses in secondary school. I recall that computer courses and computer-aided drafting (CAD) took on greater prominence, while auto shop, carpentry, electrical, metal work, etc., disappeared.
That was unfortunate because previously, junior and senior high school students had these other options along with their academic classes, the arts, and physical education. In secondary school, I can remember the enjoyment and sense of accomplishment when we built birdhouses, dustpans, footstools, and jewelry boxes. Working with one’s hands and learning how to handle machinery and tools could be applied to future projects.
Next, not all students are cut out for the constant “college and career ready” mantra we hear nowadays. Many students endure the academic courses but thrive with subjects that allow them to work with their hands. Many students want to go straight to work, join the armed forces, or apprentice in some line of technical employment following high school.
Also, learning early on how to be handy with machinery and tools can assist students to take what they learn in school and apply it to projects at home or in the community. Students learn how to use tools, safely handle them, and store them in a responsible manner as they create products from scratch. Besides the physical skills involved, brainwork is also necessary in planning and completing assignments according to specifications.
There is an incredible demand in the United States for skilled individuals in a variety of occupational trades. The number of technical and trade experts graduating out of community and junior colleges and trade schools is inadequate to meet the growing demand. Restoring practical trades in secondary school would help to accelerate the pipeline into advanced training and internships.
Agricultural workers, air conditioning and heating personnel, auto mechanics, carpenters, construction experts, electricians, installers, pipe fitters, plumbers, shipbuilders, welders, and others are all in high demand. Occupational trade classes in high school can help alleviate current shortages by training more interested folks with initial skills, over time increasing the supply of skilled trade apprentices.
However, it isn’t necessary to establish two-track secondary schools—academic and trade—as is the practice in some other countries. It’s still a sound idea to require at least some academic courses for students who are talented in the trades. Learning how to research and think critically is useful for all students. Moreover, all students should have an array of elective course options to choose from as they progress, allowing them to discover subject areas that best suit them.
Finally, the technical trade route as a career offers a broad range of opportunities and excellent salaries. An individual starts out as an apprentice and works his or her way up through experience to a skilled expert while continuously learning.
Some individuals might start their own businesses related to their expertise and gradually learn how to scale the business. Others would be hired by employers yet still have the opportunity to rise to the level of manager or supervisor over time.
It is highly important to restore more trade programs into our nation’s secondary schools. Doing so would enhance both our economic and national security.
