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fliptop [soylentnews.org] writes:

Ten years ago the discussion was about STEM [soylentnews.org] and answering the question, "Are there flaws in the American education system, both at the K-12 level and in college, that lead us to be very dependent on foreign STEM graduates?"

Now that technology has started cannibalizing entry-level jobs, GenZ is starting to reach for a toolbelt instead of a mouse [miamiherald.com]:

When I graduated college, my Dad gave me the best piece of life advice I’ve ever received. He told me to go get a skill beyond what was taught as part of my degree, because one day my education would fail me, and when it did, I would have something to fall back on.

So, I became a bartender for a while. I’m no longer tending bar, but I’m still grateful for the skill set — and the lesson.

Millennials were taught the path to success and financial stability ran through a college campus. I followed the path — chasing internships, earning good grades and securing jobs where I could use my bachelor’s degree. The corner office in the C-Suite was the end goal. But things have changed.

[...] Sometimes called the “toolbelt generation,” Generation Z is picking up tools and looking to trade careers. According to Resume Builder, 42% of Gen Zers [resumebuilder.com] are either pursuing or working in blue collar or skilled trade jobs — including 37% who already have college degrees.

[...] Since 2020, the National Student Clearinghouse has found an increase of nearly 16% of students [pbs.org] enrolling in vocational focused community colleges.

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