I was required to take shop class in high school – wood shop, metal shop, and basic mechanical drawing. At the time, I wondered what use it would be to me, because even then there was talk about the coming “knowledge economy.” I had a guidance counsellor who told me that I wouldn’t need to learn how to type, because I would have a secretary to type for me! [Note 1: I type everything with 3-4 fingers. Note 2: We encouraged our children to learn how to type.]
As I write this, the US is facing a shortage of skilled trade workers. Most high schools phased out shop class over 30 years ago, as production shifted overseas and college was promoted as “the way” for more people. Some high schools are trying to rebuild their shop programs, but many face a financial battle, because it turns out school programs are much easier to destroy than create.
In 20/20 hindsight, I am grateful for shop class. I learned that if I was called on to make something, fix something, or build something, I could probably do it. I learned the basics of operating machinery and handling tools. I learned about shop safety. And I learned to take care how a project turned out. Our teacher, Mr. Corbin, often told us he wasn’t going to accept “a bunch of junk.”
To be fair, I also learned a lot from my dad and my maternal grandfather. I helped my dad build a redwood fence, finish the game room in the basement, and survey the foundation of the family house. When we emptied that house, I found a few old shop projects mom had saved. The best was a steel center punch I turned on a lathe. I am now using it after it spent over 50 years in a drawer.
I have built shoe racks, coat racks, music stands, bookshelves, desks, tables, speaker stands, a compost bin, raised planting beds, a Queen-sized Murphy bed, and a hexagonal shed. I have made countless household repairs, inside and out. I have done basic electrical wiring, basic plumbing, and roofing. I have remodeled kitchens and bathrooms, laid flooring and tile, and built countertops. Although I have not made a living in the trades, shop class has saved me tens of thousands of dollars over my lifetime. I suppose that’s one answer to the utility question.
Another answer to that question is that when I took shop class, some of the guys were really good at it. Gifted, in fact. They took every “industrial arts” class the school offered and went on to become auto mechanics, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, machinists, welders, and so on. I’m sure some of them made much more money than a midwestern college professor. And I’m sure some of them became invaluable in family businesses and on family farms.
Like other high school experiences, shop class helps people discover what their talents are, what they like doing, and what kind of people they like to work with. It seems to me it’s irresponsible to steer kids towards college when they might like to do something else. In my experience as a college professor, not every student who came to college was well advised to do so. Some of these students spent a lot of money before they realized this. Others earned a degree and then pivoted towards a skilled trade to make a living. Some ended up in debt without a degree to show for it.
The big question for prospective students is, “what are you good at?” Let’s not assume college is a golden ticket. The goal should be to build a career in something a person is good at and enjoys doing, not just to earn a degree, unless the person is good at the things the degree requires and is likely to be hired in that field. There is nothing wrong with encouraging young people to take a hard look at what they really want to do. And if they take shop class and end up going to college to study something else, at least they will have learned a few valuable skills.
MurrayWorks 