A.I. in Education: Is College Still Worth It? The Rise of Skilled Trades

The Shifting Landscape of Education

• 💡 Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, highlights a reevaluation of technical education, moving away from the misperception of it being for low-skill jobs.
• 🚀 The education world is in flux, with a renewed focus on "Rework, Revamp, and Review," accelerated by the role of Artificial Intelligence.

A.I.'s Impact on Academic Integrity

• 🤖 A poll revealed nearly 90% of college students used chatbots for homework shortly after ChatGPT's launch.
• 💻 The question is no longer if students use A.I., but if they are doing any of the work themselves, as exemplified by a Columbia student who generated 80% of his essays using A.I.
• 🎓 Some students, like one at Harvard, question the value of attending classes when they can access materials online and feel assignments are "hackable" by A.I., calculating the cost per missed class.

The Resurgence of Skilled Trades

• 💰 High school graduates are commanding significant salaries, with some welding students earning $75,000 out of high school for specialized roles like nuclear submarine welding.
• 🛠️ The White House has shifted from a "college for all" approach to modernizing workforce programs for high-paying, skilled trade jobs.
• 📈 Data from Georgetown University suggests a bachelor's degree earns $2.8 million on average over a lifetime, compared to $1.6 million for a high school diploma, but specific degrees and trades offer varied earning potentials.

The Millionaire Next Door and Tradespeople

• 🏡 Research from "The Millionaire Next Door" indicates many millionaires are skilled tradespeople and small business owners, not necessarily doctors or lawyers.
• 💰 These individuals often build modest businesses, practice strict financial discipline, reinvest profits, live below their means, and avoid debt, accumulating wealth through steady work and business building.

Bridging the Skills Gap

• 👷 There's a significant demand for skilled trades, with a shortage of 400,000 jobs in construction and a large portion of the industry retiring soon.
• 🎓 Programs like "Heavy Metal Summer Experience" expose high school students to trades, with parents often surprised to learn about the earning potential, benefits, and pension opportunities in these fields.
• 📈 Many tradespeople start their own businesses, with a significant percentage of contractors being family-owned, highlighting the entrepreneurial opportunities within the trades.
• 💻 Modern construction and trades require technical proficiency and computer understanding, as jobs have become high-tech.