In the Middle Ages, if a young person fancied learning a trade, he or she would indenture themselves to a master.
In exchange for learning skills such as blacksmithing, they promised seven years of work for room and board.
Apprenticeships, or internships, have continued into modern times, though quite rightly with compensation and consideration more commensurate with contribution.
Fast forward to today.
A college education is helpful in many ways: It promises a good livelihood, exercises learning to the point that it continues often at a high level throughout one’s life and arms the student with better appreciation of letters, the arts and social interaction, as well as special skills.
Not all young students are prepared or want to devote four, six or even more years after high school to hone their educations.
(That comment is made with understanding lack of a high school education is a burden of immense proportions.)
For those who don’t envision a college education, or at least beyond an associates degree from a community college, a vast world of work awaits, in large part skills that may be learned in arenas such as the vocational center near LaHarpe, in high school or post-secondary vocational classes.
This is where apprenticeships surface. Some are available; more should be.
We certainly don’t mean to propose indentureship, though signing on to learn a trade or craft at less than a robust wage makes exceedingly good sense when played into the future.
However, what is often learned in formal vocational preparation is just a starting point for a career in any of many fields. On-the-job training is invaluable in the follow-up.
THE VOCATIONAL center is a starting point, and may be expanded into many areas. Doing so in concert with local industries would be a splendid approach, and hardly novel.
We know from conversations with local industries that good hires are in short supply and require more-than-typical training, which stretches the workplace.
Besides knowing a particular skill, desirable qualities include what are called “soft skills,” such as arriving on time, being presentable, being dependable on a daily basis and accepting of constructive criticism. Area high schools are — or should be — making those social skills as high a priority as teaching science, history and math.
Preparing the young to accept their roles in the work-a-day world, professionally and in the many occupations that require brawn as well as brains, is important if we as a community are to grow and prosper.
— Bob Johnson
