Why isn't our educational system promoting the trades?

Your Involvement

Culturally, families work and save to send their kids off to careers with greater possibilities than their parents, often by sending them to community colleges and universities.

When our kids enroll, we need to help guide them to select course work and majors that will provide them with the best ability to compete in today’s workplace for rewarding careers.

In reviewing the study majors of many of the kids that graduated with my oldest daughter last year, it is evident that there was not a lot of time spent in that endeavor.

When there are so many possibilities for future employment in great careers, why would some of the kids end up majoring in studies for professions that do not really exist, such as Spanish Literature?

Moreover, the day is long gone where a two- or four-year degree was insurance for a good career, although it still helps.

Look at your local education system as an engine to assist in the long-term remedy for the current problem with staffing issues. This issue will not go away on its own.

Your involvement and active participation is what is required to make the changes necessary to get people interested in choosing a trade as a career path.

Think of what could happen to the health and well-being of our industry without a good pool of talented to draw upon. The consequences could be disastrous.

Do you want to be partially responsible for this?

Tim Kraus is the president and chief operating officer (COO) of the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA). Prior to joining HDMA, he served in various executive positions with heavy duty industry parts manufacturers. The Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association exclusively serves as the industry voice of the commercial vehicle product manufacturers. It is a market segment affiliate of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). www.hdma.org.