Mike Rowe, TV host of the popular show "Dirty Jobs", testifies before the House Education & the Workforce Committee on the importance of career and technical education.
It’s funny how he’s talking about real hard working men and women in a room full of paper pushers that all think they’re the smartest person in the room.
A very simple test when considering hiring anybody in construction trade is give them or they a tape measure on a Friday. Tell them to show up for work on a Monday see if they still have that tape measure. And tell them to cut three boards at any Dimension you want using fractions. It doesn't matter if it's a tile saw a chop saw a skill saw, hand saw, hacksaw or chainsaw, and if you want to get real Techincal tell them to go short or long on the Mark. The ones who can do that give them the application, (tape measure are cheap)
And a room full of people that see trades as taboo or jobs for losers. Thinking your smarter than everyone sure as shit doesn't make you wise...or smart in general.
When I was 12 or 13 years old, a neighbor told me "Yes, college is good, but if you get in the wrong profession, you could be limited. If you have a good trade skill, you can go just about anywhere." He was right. I had "turned wrenches for 47 years until I got hurt & had to go on disability.
Thanks wise old man! Wow 47 years longer than. My father by a little bit. I fear of getting hurt but if you made it that far I hope I can too! Optimism is God's way ain't it? I think it is.
They do not listen. They go through the motions, make it look official, reach out for input, but at the end of the day they do nothing. Proof is in the fact the nothing is getting better. Rep are to blame for much of this because they believe the rich should run the country, mostly because they are rich and look out for themselves. Our government in its present state is chaos at best. Been broken and getting worse for a long time.
He’s basically roasting the absolute shit out of everyone in the room… but yes sadly it has fallen on death ears as he said he had nothing new to tell them he’s told them this before
I guess that you can speak that truth now that you are retired but I'm guessing that your comment wouldn't have gone over so well with your local school board when you were still teaching.
For all of you that believe the pay scale is low, you are so wrong! Ask an electrician, or a carpenter,or a plumber how much they make a year! So, they don't sit on their ass all day looking at a computer. They are also much healthier!
The Alpha Male It wouldn't matter. Once elected nothing would change and he would keep repeating the same subterfuge every other politician says. You know good economy, education, jobs.
My grandfather after serving his country in ww2 came back home and got a job with the Bell company. He worked for them for 30 years before retiring. I couldn’t be more proud of him. It was hard manual labor but he was proud and put in an honest days work and provide for his family. He use to love to tell me the phrase “The world needs ditch diggers too”. He was an amazing man.
Your grandfather sounds just like my dad, he came back from the Korean War and he got a job with the bell company,, he would say the same thing, the world needs ditch diggers to,,, thank god for these men and the life lessons they taught us..
After an unsuccessful 3 years running my own Curves I went to school for 1 year to learn ditch digging. I don't think it an appropriate phrase to act like ditch digging is below everything.
All my respect for your Grandfather. I salute you too. -- My mother was a retired (36 years) Southern Bell telephone operator in Florida, who started as a young woman in the 1940's under "AT&T" in NY, NY, where she met my Dad, a professional photographer in the 50's. God bless you. Peace in Christ! JB from 34205usa 🧑🏻
Met him briefly on Hawaii when he stopped into the kitchen I was working at. Recall telling him how I appreciated his show because he literally had insight into various trade jobs. I know it's 'entertainment' but he can't be the host of a program like that without seriously getting his hands dirty. He was a cool guy and it was an honor to meet him.
His real secret is that his BODY works and is not afraid of the aches and pains caused by physical labor. People actually FEAR work and are a afraid of the body pain it my cause. Hence the phrase "NOT AFRAID OF A LITTLE WORK HARD" comes from. Most people are pussies. Being in the Marines makes you love pain! Everyone should be forced to go for 2 years like most other counties require.
Nooooooooooooooo! We can't afford another speech. The cost of education will just continue to soar. It's funny. I went to college after the Navy and earned a degree in Computer Science. Both of my brothers went to College right out of high school, last one semester. One ended up in autobody repair and owning his own shop. The other Managers construction sites around Oregon and Washington. Neither of them has any Student Loan debt. I don't because I worked in Alaska during the summer and as a janitor during the school year. Bachelor's Degree and NO student debt.
@@pappyrandy870 Thanks for telling story. Mabey I could do a similar job for a few years. But I definitely do have my own sights as my own unique human male biological in being. I need to hear tough men tell me not necessarily how they live their life because really the only tough and hard good men are those with moral character. So I need Friends that are hard working men. I need to learn.
When my son was in high school he did work experience at a local mechanic's workshop then was offered a part-time job there. After several months, he came home and sat me down with a very serious look on his face. Owen, the owner had offered him an apprenticeship. My son was worried that I would be upset he would have to leave school. I told him that he'd be leaving one form of education to be doing another form of education. At the end of which he would have a piece of paper and skills no-one could take away from him. Further more, that did not mean that his working life would end with being a mechanic as there were so many more options for learning attached to being a mechanic. Diesel. Air-con. Computerisation. Hydraulics. And so on. He's now 33yo, working for a large company that makes vac trucks and showed an aptitude for redesigning the hydraulic pipes. The company is paying for him to become a Hydraulic Engineer. (Melbourne, Australia.)
I am a welder by trade but I also picked up a pipefitting ticket and a rigger certification along the way. Due to my training I was self employed for many years and also held management positions as an estimator/sale representative, a computer programmer, and a fabrication shop manager until I retired. None of my offspring aspired to higher education but gravitated to the trades. I always told them that their tickets were a stepping stone to go where they wanted. Today, my oldest son has a first class journeyman ticket in welding, a B pressure designation, is a level two welding inspector, self employed as a QC and making about $150,000 plus working around nine months a year. My younger son is a first class journeyman welder, a certified crane operator, a certified safety officer, a certified first aid person, and President of his local union. My daughter is a journeyman pipefitter, a journeyman parts person, and has just completed her first year of a two year associates degree in finance with a ninety average. I am proud of my offspring and what they have accomplished. Had they gone to university I don't think they could have done any better. They used their training to prove that they could be trained at something else if required and they always had something to fall back on that paid relatively well. In the trades, you work a portion of the year and then attend school for a portion of the year. Your tuition is covered by either your employer or the government and you can collect unemployment insurance while in school so you still have an income. Most trades are four year programs but you are making a living during those four years. When at colledge, you have to pay everything, run up a lot of debt, and frequently hold a part time job to make ends meet.
I was a trade school recruiter for 12 years until 2017 when they eliminated my territory because it was to hard to find enough students. I preached just like Mike for those 12 years because the demand was and is so huge!!!
In Jr. High and High School, we had “shop” class. Metal, wood, auto, electric. I took one of each every year. The first two semesters where mandatory, the following 10 were elective. I loved it, and there I found my calling. These classes led my through three career paths, all well paying. The first was auto mechanics. I served in the US Army as a 63T - Infantry tracked/wheeled vehicle vehicle. I was employed as a machinist, then tool and die maker in aerospace. Finally (and longest) the field I work in today - systems/network administration for a major aerospace company. I will gather your requirements, spec equipment and software, define personnel roles and responsibilities, build it, maintain it, and teach your personnel how to do this as I go. I will run a technical team, and we will produce results far beyond your expectations, built with flexibility and future expansion as a standard. I will never be a manager because I do not hold a college degree, and I am just fine with that. My wife and I own our home, paid for our child’s education, and we will retire comfortably. I will never be without a good income and solid work. This is a direct result of trade training and hard work. All because of shop class.
Sean, I loved your story and could relate to it also. Our school had the same classes and were hands down the best in the school. I was shocked to learn they did away with all those shop classes and I would guess the teachers also,what a shame they had more of an impact on me then all the rest of the mindless, robotic individuals they had teaching. I have made a good living working with my hands in the trades and my two fine sons are on their way to doing the same. I respect you for taking it to a much higher level and i could only pray that the rest of the country wakes up and realize how valuable the trades are for all of us. Thanks for your story and god bless Mike Rowe for his efforts to slap some sense into these assholes.that boy is a national treasure!
Eric Jacobsen My most influential teacher was my woodshop teacher( an ex cop) I went on to a 30 year career as a machinist. Bought a home, raised a family, yada,yada.I love creating things with my hands. Now Im a bike mechanic for fun and cheap parts!!
@Brandon Toad don't blame the Republicans, the left wants everyone to depend on the govt while not working a trade job, just sit around and get a check
Anytime, we let others, especially government make decisions for us and depend on them instead of being self reliant, we stunt our opportunity for growth and limit our own ability to have true freedom.
The college and university presidents... They say “don’t listen to this man that speaks logically with common sense...” come waste years being brainwashed and go in debt for the next 25/30 years of your life.
The founding fathers never intended for this country to be led by career politicians and their dynasties. The government was always supposed to be comprised of influential and hard-working members of communities that could act as their communities' representatives. You weren't supposed to stay in Washington in a nice big house once your tenure was up, you were supposed to return to your community and continue to be an influential and hard-working contributor.
@@markanthony3275 Nice job putting words in my mouth. I said "Thats a bit loaded. Think before you point the gun please." Not "You don't agree with about a hundred years of psychological research?" I understand you are an idiot. But please dont put words into my mouth. You want to push some agenda. I think, you should think about how you word your sentences before you push that agenda. Dont come at me like I kicked your dog next time. Also if the joke wasn't clear, you are an idiot because you somehow missread my entire post. Not because I care about what you said. I dont give a fuck about the topic just the way you worded it.
Absolutely accurate. I grew up in the 90’s being constantly told “go to college otherwise you’ll serve fries and McDonald’s the rest of your life”. So I went and the majority of my adult life is spent working to fund the f***ing lending companies who have absurd interest rates and a small fraction of my monthly payment actually goes towards principals. I don’t mind paying back what I borrowed and even a little on top. I understand that companies need to make a profit from lending… but I’m going to be paying back at least double what I borrowed over the course of 20+ years paying this back and I will forever be bitter towards the government and academic institutions for it.
I have an extremely short attention span but i didn't even notice how long this letter was with Mike. I could listen to him for hours. He is so articulate and just simply has common sense
As a father , i look at my children with great joy, pride. As an electrician when i pass a commercial structure that I was apart of wiring,.. I look upon that building or site lighting with the same feelings of pride and joy. I am a skilled labor! I am an American Electrician!!!
@@jdwilliamsou812 I don’t think they meant that in a disrespectful way, simply saying that you “could” proclaim: Let there be light! Tongue-in-cheek...
I know that feeling myself. As a 3rd year apprentice, I installed or had a hand in every single fixture that went into a 3 story building and parking lot. It was the first project I got to see from coming out of the ground to the last switch plate. The skills I learned got me a job as an electrician in a local hospital. I am grateful for the trade!!
My parents hounded me about going to a 4 yr institution(pun intended), so much so that I quit high school, got a job as an HVAC apprentice and fast forward to today. $60,000 a yr. House paid for. No debt. Very high credit rating. Good retirement future. I’ve learned chemistry, physics, geometry, sociology, psychology, mental, emotional, psychological and physical strengths and endurance. I have learned very meaningful life skills/lessons useful daily and the confidence and ability to tackle damn near anything, successfully. Not bad for a high school drop out with a ged who didn’t step foot on a college campus. To Mikes point, the average age of HVAC techs is 53. I’m 54. This trade, and many like it, will not be taken over by A.I. anytime soon. A.I. needs tradespeople to manufacture, maintain, do preventative maintenance for longevity and make repairs. Everything it takes to build a building of any size/kind needs tradespeople. I suggest letting people research their interests and decide what they want to do for a profession on their own, instead of pushing them in another direction. There’s so much more to life than colleges, universities and the massive debt to be able to obtain a successful career/life. A person of either gender can learn a satisfying technical profession without the unnecessary huge debt, without free college, that really isn’t free, and get PAID for learning. If you’re not a total jerk and don’t see yourself as “entitled” and stick with it, you can have a great career with much needed knowledge that few people will have WITHOUT starting off neck deep in debt. Give it an honest, nose to the grindstone effort, and you might surprise yourself!
Your life story is just about exactly what Mike talks about, and has been talking about for a long time. The common narrative these days is the opposite of this. A modest house's mortgage worth of debt and no prospects. Plus a dubious education that often produces remarkable illiteracy. 43 years ago I earned a very inexpensive undergrad degree, and then promptly went to work in an academic Sciences library, where I work still. I love my job, because it allowed me to never stop learning. I read and research at a doctorate level now, and all of that was self-taught. My secret? Simple. Although I was a typically active boy, sports, hiking, camping and all the usual - I turned into a bookworm in grade 4. And that was a resource I never let go of. University should be left to the people who are built for it. Which is how it was fifty years ago. But at that time, there was still a strong societal push toward blue collar, because most high school grads had family members who were blue collar, and had remarkably stable lives. Incidentally - had I not bothered at all with university, my second choice would have been television Production, because A/V skills have always been a fascination for me. But I turned into a musician instead, and that has been a satisfying lifelong hobby. (A hobby, because I detest showBIZ, and especially the music business.) But I love music. I do agree so much with what you say here. Far too many young people are being taught that the road to success is one narrow one size fits all path. A path that leads to a dead end for far too many.
Nice.....I align my life in your reply. Was pressured to pursue hotel management by family. Started a 4 year college degree, soon found out that this was definately not for me. After 3 months decided to enter into trades, automotive, cable, along those lines. Always been a handy person, loved to tinker and take things apart. At 60, retired, own home and money in the bank. Many people missing the boat these days. So sad.
Phillip Jenkins Great post I just made a similar one. Too many people do not respect the people who make and maintain what they take for granite rely on and have no clue about. The Working Class Hero's. You with the temperature of the buildings they work in. I with the transportation up and down the buildings and many many more other trades for the modern world to work. Imagine what it would be like if in a SHTF situation. Who is the most needed important people ? The tradesmen and mechanics type ! I am an elevator/escalator mechanic and 2 years younger than you. (not much at this age) Gen X Punk and proud succeeding where the hippies failed ! Thumbs up on your post.
@ry494 but you get paid while doing your apprenticeship for doing the work. You don't pay tens of thousands of dollars to an institution then start your work career in the hole.
My daughter is going to a technical school in our town that teaches welding, coding and billing, mechanics and other things it's more like a trade school and she's graduating this year and she's only 18
@@jedironin380 , thank you. Her dad and I are very proud of her ourselves. We're hoping that when our two younger boys graduate from high school they go to the same school as her and learn something there, too
My mom told me that her family survived the great depression because her dad was a plumber. Always had work. Good for your daughter. Hope she outshines everyone.
Mike Rowe is awesome. Been watching him for years. I like how most of the room doesn't get his jokes. These conferences are a joke because none of those politicians were actually listening to what he was saying. Falling on deaf ears.
Started going to college to be a math and science teacher. Started a job shortly after in sheet metal shop to earn money for college. Within months I was night manager making more money than a math or science teacher. Quit college. Moved and worked in a machine shop making even more. Then started working constructing gas plants doing millwright work. Making waaaay more money than a teacher. Ended up with a CDL driving in the oilfield making over 100,000 a year. I'm 28 now. Snob nosed college grads would think I don't have a great job but chances are they aren't using their degree or I make more then they do anyway. Not everyone is suited for a desk and a tie. We are all different, different strengths and weaknesses, society needs to realize this and promote the skills of the individual
I'm 42 and right after high school my parents looked me in the eye and said we can't afford college can you? A few months later I swore into the Marines and now I'm close to retiring as a PO. My dad said to me early on that life is work.
He is so right. When I was in high school 27 years ago since I graduated. I took woodworking, metal working, drafting, welding. Why because my mom had taught me to sew and cook at home. My choice of taking those classes through high school gave me the tools to be able to fix what I need done around the house. I still may only know how to glue to pipes together to stop a leaky water pipe but guess what I did it on my own. I build my own furniture. No I didn’t make a career out of it. But I do crafts and I sell them out of wood. So maybe taking those classes years ago did help me with a hobby/career choice today. We need more kids interested in “blue collar” jobs. I have even been tossing it around to go back to our community college to start a nursing career. But with me being 45 now I don’t know.
You "hit the nail right on the head!" Mike Rowe. I'm a carpenter, no pun intended. I'm from Canada and we're facing the same problems up here too. Going through school, we faced the same thing. Being in the trades was considered to be a joke. We were laughed at and not even taken serious. Now there's a high demand for skilled labour and a lack of demand for jobs requiring a university education. A job in the skilled trades is fun, exciting, satisfying and lucrative.
No, what the US needs is sound monetary policy, that is backed by gold, and that doesn't endlessly print worthless promisory notes. Work smarter, not harder.
Perfectly presented and stated Mr. Rowe!! I have a 46 yr old son who went to trade/tech school as a part of a high school program. He is a Master Welder, (who now supervises his shift). He has worked in this field with excellence and pride for 26+ years now. He is joyfully with his bride of 25 yrs and has two caring, beautiful children. Why tell you all this??... He chose the skilled trades path & THIS momma/grandma is couldn’t be prouder of him🤗❣️ Keep up the great work of spreading the message about our beloved U.S.A.s’ need to promote and support the education and dire need of skilled laborers!! At least YOU SIR, are doing more than just complaining about it!!🤛 Sincere thanks & God bless you🙏🏼‼️
Mike Rowe is one of the smartest & most basic people in tv or public relations. He makes common sense & has the right answer for so many high school & trade school & college kids---as well as adults who have the brains & guts to get a new "hands on" job. I wish politicians & teachers & parents & school kids would just listen to this guy & follow his advice to a good work life.
Finally someone I respect who confirms my suspicion for all these years that my guidance counselor in high school actually DIDN’T know what was best for me. Thank you trade school and hard work.
i mean guidance counselors work in education for the sake of education, and were taught education so they could have a say in education. they are all about what is now "traditional" education-- that is, grades k-12 and then a 4+ year college. it's to be expected that they, of all people, would hard push a 4-year program like they had to trudge through, because that's the education they know and can talk about with experience-- whereas they tend to know little about trades aside from the stigmas and misinfo they've heard over the years. also funneling more people into college-type education directly benefits them. i got lucky and my school seemed to have counselors that also promoted trade schools to an extent, but some of my teachers really disliked the idea of their students going to a trade school to the point of looking at some differently for wanting go to the trade route-- despite there being many poorer kids that could never afford university and the debt that comes along with it. unhinged rant over. tl;drthe state of education in the US is quite sad :C
jokes on you my classes only ever had maximum word count essays because many of my teachers were underpaid and/or lazy and did not want to grade a 50000 word essay
I am now 36 yrs old. Months before I graduated high school, I was under tremendous pressure to ‘go to college ‘ by my fathers family, not really my father though( he was an average blue collar worker his entire life).... I was done with school, but , I had a welding class in high school and I followed that path.... fast forward 19 years, and I will say that I make more money as a pipeline welder than 95% of my cousions do that went to college for engineering and blah blah blah. Yea it’s hard work, but I have 0% student loans ( from the school of hard knocks) and pay more in taxes than a lot of college graduates make in a years time. Work is work...... that’s why it’s called “work”
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Attributed to Thomas A. Edison. (Not sure he actually said it, but its true.)
As usual Mike your message was clear, and well presented. I’m sure nothing will come of it, you are speaking to maladjusted people with an agenda. That said, you tried, obviously some people were listening, unfortunately no-one in the committee. Keep it up, if we ever wake up as a Country, maybe some people will listen to this presentation and think. I’m not holding my breath.
Mike Rowe is a rare American in that he's always for middle American workers. He supports and promotes physical/tech labor jobs. THANK YOU MIKE ROWE from my home state of Maryland!!
Was pressured out of High School for college choice to be made. Decided against massive debt and school for 4 years and crappy jobs that come with it. Took online and votech classes. Read as much material I could find about electronics. Found entry level position at job that paid for certifications and additional training. Long hours and hard work but in less than 4 years made lead lead status in position and have been making more than the bosses for more than 10 years now. They regret the day of offering a performance bonus to those of us putting 100% into it day in day out
yes, my two year voc schooling, lead position in six months in engineering department outdoing the 4 year EE guys :-) and yes I make more than the boss now :-)
After watching Mike Row through dirty jobs and his podcast I took on a trade job instead of college, I've got to say... I have no debt I paid back the school in just under a year, I work as an electrician and am very stable and happy in my life. I can only imagine what my life would have been like if I chose my arts degree in a 4 year institution.
I went the route Mike suggested and followed my dream. Directly after high school, I went to an automotive tech school in Phoenix, Universal Technical Institute. 25 years later, after injuring my back, I again attended a tech school, Coleman College (now University) and learned Computer Electronics Technology. 10 years before I retired, I started a handyman service. I'm retired now but I had a very pleasant 50 years of performing services for others. I own my own home, paid off my truck, and I have no debt. Thanks, Mike. Even though I didn't know you or hear of you back then, you are telling the truth. Service people are in great demand and always will be. Life is good when you have work and are loved. Just Do It, folks.
100% spot on Mike! As a teacher with 25 years experience in the classroom, I have watched with chagrin the powers that be continuously try fitting square pegs in round holes. Many students are NOT academically inclined, but are highly skilled at trades and crafts, yet because the emphasis in schools is academic, they are failing. Added to this misguided approach is the fact that students with learning disabilities are thrust into regular academic classrooms, "with accommodations," for no other reason but to "increase their self-esteem." It's hogwash, and today's educational leaders need to be thrown out of their positions and replaced with individuals who actually know what the hell they are doing!
Spot on with your assessment of our educational system today. I'm sure you are familiar with the term "least restrictive environment" in education which has probably done more to dumb down classroom instruction than just about anything else. Grouping students together based on nothing but age is another drawback of our current system. We should be grouping learners by ability and aptitude, not age. There should also be different tracks they could follow based on interests and abilities.
I agree but I take issue that only the not academically strong should pursue the trades . I finished high in school and could have done anything . I chose trades not because my grades were bad. It because I enjoy it .
Apparently.. Albert Einstein wrote, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” The question I have for you at this point of our journey together is, “What is your genius?” I have a 9yr old daughter, I tell her not to sweat school grades, as soon as she finds something she is interested in, it will all fall into place.
Blue collar for life. My entire family on both sides are the same. We are not rich but we do alright. My cousin was the first person in my family history to go to college about 10 years ago. He works blue collar working on and programming tooling machines. It's all good.
Just because you don't work blue collar doesn't mean you don't work hard, and vice versa. It's just a different kind of work. I don't speak from either side but a hustle's a hustle
yep. We work hard, and get stuff done. My husband retired 20 years ago at the age of 50, and he's never been happier cutting his own wood, field stripping a tractor, doing his own stuff, his own way. Me too. I look at that full shed of wood and think, hot damn, I did that. That's contentment.
I’m very proud to tell stories of going home at the end of the day and emptying the dirt from my pockets from being in a trench all day. My personal slogan is: “never trust a man with soft hands”.
A lot of the people in my extended family grew up in the trades and now that they are retired their lives are great, they had very good lives and were able to live and raise families very, very comfortably! Mike Rowe is right, there is great wisdom in referring these young people to community colleges, trade schools and apprenticeship programs! I know, we lived it and we LIVED QUITE WELL and are retired very comfortably!
42 years IBEW. Retired making more money than when I was working. Too bad Mike Rowe pushes a political agenda that has undermined the very Institutions that make this possible- TRADE UNIONS.
😮😮My brother has two young sons in the skilled trades work force. They are doing very well. His daughter is currently in a skilled welding program and already has job offers 6 months before graduation. Thanks Mike Rowe.
buster smith .....you are dead wrong my friend. Small home renovations business here. Turned $385,000 in business last year....net profit of $126,000.....oh did I mention that was working 3.5 days per week with a total of no more than 32 hours per week max. Most of the time 25 hours per week. Sure, I could take on more work, but at this stage in life I value family time more than a higher income. Small business that solves peoples problems....fulfills their desires....and consists of knowledge, ability, and skill that they simply dont have....well, it pays alot better than one realizes
galindojuan1 it is a dirty job trying to get threw the brain of those liberal idiots on the panel. They want to give out everything free and not work for it, Demorats are the problem
Cowgirl I never got a notification about your reply.. might be a bit late about this reply but ya we need to have the garbage man and take out the smelly trash
I knew a guy who worked as a farmer for years. he loved it. he told me there's nothing like looking back after a hard days work at a clean farm, happy animals and full fields. his emotionally abusive parents had always put him down and eventually they broke him down. he became a physical therapist. he was so unhappy he eventually killed himself. father of 4, good human being, gone forever because blue collar work=wasted life in America today.
Good job Mike, during my high school education I had a passion for welding that continued into a welding apprenticeship with a Large Steel Company. I worked at this trade for 38 years and retired comfortably from it. In the last 10 years of my career, I was a foreman leading crews and teams. I also was responsible for hiring new welders. 20% of those hired had higher education degrees from local universities but because there was not work in their fields they decided to go into the trades. Most trade salaries where 100K per year with overtime. Far higher than the P Eng and Techs in our department. I do question the Guidance Counselor's decisions to direct students out of the trades and into high tuitions and dreams. The GC's need to get it right.
The best decision I've ever made is dual enrolling from my high school and going to the local trade school half the school day to learn to become an electrician.
I love mike rowe. Really. This guy is great. A real inspiration. Hearing him talk about skyrocketing college prices hit me home... My mom got her degree in 2002. The average cost per semester for her was only about 1k. Books a total of maybe 200. Which she got most back. 4 years later i graduated high school. A year later i went to university just like she had 5 years earlier.. But my tuition per semester was 5k. Books cost me 800, of that, i got maybe 50 bucks back for them. It rose and by the end of my 3 years there, tuition was 8k a semester. Books nearly 1k. They started demanding we buy "ebooks" thst wouldnt let you access them until 1 month into class and ended 3 weeks before the final, locking you out. My mom was horrified, wondering why financial aid did nothing, what i was buying to make tuition so expensive. Literally. The prices were merely that. She had her 7k student loans dismissed through a grant she had signed back in the day before I "finished" university. I had 20k in student loans. I held out as long as i could on taking them but that 20k was literally only 1 year. I got in a car wreck, no car, injuries, couldnt afford it all, and had to quit. Its been 9 years. I still have student loans to the tune of 16k. I pay 300 a month. It never goes down. Covid has been a relief, it got my loans paused, so at least i got to save that 300 for a while.
Amen Mr Rowe. The return of 'work satisfaction' pride in purpose. Work requiring self governance, common sense, practical skills, mental agility, courage, compassion, empathy, physical strength emotional fortitude, and collaborative problem solving. More essential to sustaining life and civilization, economy and environment, than someone with 4 years of learning how to perpetuate and nourish the global economy - and increasingly centralised control of money supply.
This is what I’ve been saying for decades about college degrees, the skills gap, and what defines a good job. I’ve been saying it since I decided not to go to college back in the 80s. I’m just a private person without a platform. I know I’m not the only one who’s been aware of this other than Mike. I’m just glad he’s saying it publicly and getting people’s attention.
"I was told outright a 2 year school was beneath my potential." When I was in school, we had a tech center with vocational training and such. I wanted to attend and take some of the programming classes. My guidance counselor told me that program "isn't meant for students like you," and that I'd "be much better off with some AP classes and studying programming in college." I could have graduated high school with all the technical certifications I currently hold for my job with the added benefit of my CompTIA certs never expiring from back then. I also would have college credits beyond gen-ed courses. Long story short, I lost a lot of time and money to get a degree that matters much less than my portfolio... and that's still with one of the "good jobs."
Thanks Mike. I went to work out of High school and 51 years later at age 69, I was displaced by the ignorant CEO and management system. I had pride in working in medical industry and care for millions of people. A degree means nothing to me!
Mike Rowe is one of the few celebrities in this country who is actually actively working to produce some tangible benefit for everyday people. He is also brilliant in his common-sense approach. "Dirty Jobs" was truly inspired and entertaining show and will always be one of my favorite series as it portrayed dignity, respectability and humility, none of which are held up as examples by the entertainment industry. It simply would not play today. I hope Mr. Rowe continues to make these appeals and wish him all the best with the MikeRoweWorks Foundation. This country needs more Mike Rowes.
Johnny Lee I considered that, and it may be true. I just figured he’s smart enough to know that. I’ve know what a court stenographer was since reruns of Perry Mason when I was a kid. Maybe it’s all done on iPads now or some other type of device that is unrecognizable.
I'm 43 with a wonderful wife of 22yrs and 2 sons , one 23 and 8, yeah I know..... I took carpentry/construction at my local vocational school just to get out of high school classes for half the day my sophomore and junior year, well 23yrs later as a member of labors local #172 of south jersey, I can say with pride "YOUR DAMN RIGHT ILL PICK UP THAT SHOVEL"!!!!! Great medical & Retirement which is around the corner...... Today's youth is VERY concerning....
I think the reason they won't take this seriously is that most are tied in with major lenders and without guaranteed students borrowing they would not get a return on their investments. I dropped out and went straight into a Trade and have go on to work overseas. With technology today i can teach myself whatever i need to.
Thank you Mike, hopefully one day your words and wisdom, first hand knowledge will be heard and taken seriously. There is nothing wrong with being a skilled labor worker. I raised my two sons working and without government assistance.
![Natti Natasha - Quiéreme Menos [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/R57RrTjRGxk/mqdefault.jpg)
i learned to weld in prison....through an inmate community college program, and now i weld as a career and am a tax paying God fearing good guy!
MELVIN LEWIS WELLS JR.
I can't afford to go to welding school. Maybe I should rob a bank?
that prison should be commended ,,, need more like it,, thank you man for starting to control your life,,, ole USN vet
@@davidfriesen7748 that would be the long way around to it lol
Happy for you ♡
It’s funny how he’s talking about real hard working men and women in a room full of paper pushers that all think they’re the smartest person in the room.
Oh so true. Oh so true. 🙌
Which is why his advice falls on deaf ears.
A very simple test when considering hiring anybody in construction trade is give them or they a tape measure on a Friday. Tell them to show up for work on a Monday see if they still have that tape measure. And tell them to cut three boards at any Dimension you want using fractions. It doesn't matter if it's a tile saw a chop saw a skill saw, hand saw, hacksaw or chainsaw, and if you want to get real Techincal tell them to go short or long on the Mark. The ones who can do that give them the application, (tape measure are cheap)
And a room full of people that see trades as taboo or jobs for losers. Thinking your smarter than everyone sure as shit doesn't make you wise...or smart in general.
@@daleslover2771 lol love it!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 unfortunately very true.
Mike Rowe: and the dirtiest job I've ever had, I will be a politician today!
Now that is a dirty job
Hhaahahahaha........holy shit that’s hilarious. Cheers.
Damn..this comment has legs...
...nasty
I don't think he'd go that far, the man has his limits
When I was 12 or 13 years old, a neighbor told me "Yes, college is good, but if you get in the wrong profession, you could be limited. If you have a good trade skill, you can go just about anywhere." He was right. I had "turned wrenches for 47 years until I got hurt & had to go on disability.
Thanks wise old man! Wow 47 years longer than. My father by a little bit. I fear of getting hurt but if you made it that far I hope I can too! Optimism is God's way ain't it? I think it is.
They should appoint him the secretary of labor. He has common sense.
Jeff Lambert Anyone can tell people these things. It's up to everyone else to listen and follow his advice.
Secretary of Education is more like it.
Yeah Jeff...but that makes too much sense..
That might be a job too dirty for even Mike.
Common sense and government workers do not jive
He said “nothing new to tell you” leads me to believe people are not listening, especially politicians!
stenography, which is a hard job too. Stenography is mentally exhausting work! (Maybe a good idea for his next show?)
They do not listen. They go through the motions, make it look official, reach out for input, but at the end of the day they do nothing. Proof is in the fact the nothing is getting better. Rep are to blame for much of this because they believe the rich should run the country, mostly because they are rich and look out for themselves. Our government in its present state is chaos at best. Been broken and getting worse for a long time.
@@physicsguybrian So Sad. Anyhow, Mike kicks ass.
He’s basically roasting the absolute shit out of everyone in the room… but yes sadly it has fallen on death ears as he said he had nothing new to tell them he’s told them this before
Its sad because politicians say they will help us, but then stab us in the back.
Mr. Rowe, as a retired vocational teacher I have to say, you absolutely hit the nail on the head. What a fantastic letter.
I guess that you can speak that truth now that you are retired but I'm guessing that your comment wouldn't have gone over so well with your local school board when you were still teaching.
So, you taught workers that the work they did was only worth 10-12% of the monetary value of that work and they should be happy with it?
For all of you that believe the pay scale is low, you are so wrong! Ask an electrician, or a carpenter,or a plumber how much they make a year! So, they don't sit on their ass all day looking at a computer. They are also much healthier!
@breakthechains5140 you are so wrong and MISINFORMED.
SKILLED TRADES are HIGH paying jobs..
I dont even know what to say, in the most polite way possible Mr Rowe just told them you aint doing your job...
He is a wise man one of few celebrities I would be honored to meet!
Yep, he's one I'd sit and buy the drinks and just listen .
@@whitestains1656 same
I would have to agree!
It’s a pretty short list for me too but after watching this video Mike is on it.
I met him in Kentucky years ago, he is such a great and humble man.
I wish Mr Rowe would run for office.
The Alpha Male It wouldn't matter. Once elected nothing would change and he would keep repeating the same subterfuge every other politician says. You know good economy, education, jobs.
Jo The Great
“Nothing ventured nothing gained”
I agree. He would be astounding. He’s a Trump guy
I might actually reg. And vote for the first time in my life if he did
It's always the people who don't crave power and authority that are best suited to it.
My grandfather after serving his country in ww2 came back home and got a job with the Bell company. He worked for them for 30 years before retiring. I couldn’t be more proud of him. It was hard manual labor but he was proud and put in an honest days work and provide for his family. He use to love to tell me the phrase “The world needs ditch diggers too”. He was an amazing man.
Your grandfather sounds just like my dad, he came back from the Korean War and he got a job with the bell company,, he would say the same thing, the world needs ditch diggers to,,, thank god for these men and the life lessons they taught us..
After an unsuccessful 3 years running my own Curves I went to school for 1 year to learn ditch digging. I don't think it an appropriate phrase to act like ditch digging is below everything.
He still "is" an amazing man!
All my respect for your Grandfather. I salute you too. -- My mother was a retired (36 years) Southern Bell telephone operator in Florida, who started as a young woman in the 1940's under "AT&T" in NY, NY, where she met my Dad, a professional photographer in the 50's. God bless you. Peace in Christ! JB from 34205usa 🧑🏻
Met him briefly on Hawaii when he stopped into the kitchen I was working at. Recall telling him how I appreciated his show because he literally had insight into various trade jobs. I know it's 'entertainment' but he can't be the host of a program like that without seriously getting his hands dirty. He was a cool guy and it was an honor to meet him.
One of the wisest and most articulate people in public life today.
Promethean Allegory Truth
I love this guy, a very smart man, he's seen it all and been through it all.... unlike politicians.
Listen to rod Stewart
L
"One of", or, "THE wisest and most articulate. " You would be hard pressed to name three people that would be in his class.
Mike Rowe is good people. He has a brain that actually works.
Rowe 2020?
@@chief5981 Well, 2024 maybe.
I'd support Rowe 2024
And the voice to back it up
His real secret is that his BODY works and is not afraid of the aches and pains caused by physical labor. People actually FEAR work and are a afraid of the body pain it my cause. Hence the phrase "NOT AFRAID OF A LITTLE WORK HARD" comes from. Most people are pussies. Being in the Marines makes you love pain! Everyone should be forced to go for 2 years like most other counties require.
4 years later and I feel like he should make another speech to congress!!!!!
Nooooooooooooooo! We can't afford another speech. The cost of education will just continue to soar. It's funny. I went to college after the Navy and earned a degree in Computer Science. Both of my brothers went to College right out of high school, last one semester. One ended up in autobody repair and owning his own shop. The other Managers construction sites around Oregon and Washington. Neither of them has any Student Loan debt. I don't because I worked in Alaska during the summer and as a janitor during the school year. Bachelor's Degree and NO student debt.
@@pappyrandy870 Thanks for telling story. Mabey I could do a similar job for a few years. But I definitely do have my own sights as my own unique human male biological in being. I need to hear tough men tell me not necessarily how they live their life because really the only tough and hard good men are those with moral character. So I need Friends that are hard working men. I need to learn.
When my son was in high school he did work experience at a local mechanic's workshop then was offered a part-time job there. After several months, he came home and sat me down with a very serious look on his face. Owen, the owner had offered him an apprenticeship. My son was worried that I would be upset he would have to leave school. I told him that he'd be leaving one form of education to be doing another form of education. At the end of which he would have a piece of paper and skills no-one could take away from him. Further more, that did not mean that his working life would end with being a mechanic as there were so many more options for learning attached to being a mechanic. Diesel. Air-con. Computerisation. Hydraulics. And so on. He's now 33yo, working for a large company that makes vac trucks and showed an aptitude for redesigning the hydraulic pipes. The company is paying for him to become a Hydraulic Engineer. (Melbourne, Australia.)
I am a welder by trade but I also picked up a pipefitting ticket and a rigger certification along the way. Due to my training I was self employed for many years and also held management positions as an estimator/sale representative, a computer programmer, and a fabrication shop manager until I retired. None of my offspring aspired to higher education but gravitated to the trades. I always told them that their tickets were a stepping stone to go where they wanted.
Today, my oldest son has a first class journeyman ticket in welding, a B pressure designation, is a level two welding inspector, self employed as a QC and making about $150,000 plus working around nine months a year.
My younger son is a first class journeyman welder, a certified crane operator, a certified safety officer, a certified first aid person, and President of his local union.
My daughter is a journeyman pipefitter, a journeyman parts person, and has just completed her first year of a two year associates degree in finance with a ninety average.
I am proud of my offspring and what they have accomplished. Had they gone to university I don't think they could have done any better. They used their training to prove that they could be trained at something else if required and they always had something to fall back on that paid relatively well. In the trades, you work a portion of the year and then attend school for a portion of the year. Your tuition is covered by either your employer or the government and you can collect unemployment insurance while in school so you still have an income. Most trades are four year programs but you are making a living during those four years. When at colledge, you have to pay everything, run up a lot of debt, and frequently hold a part time job to make ends meet.
Amazing stories, all of you! I'm inspired to do better in my trade. Mechanics ty
Trade training doesn’t waste your time and $$$,$$$.$$ taking art classes either!
@@oh8wingman - My respects to you!
I was a trade school recruiter for 12 years until 2017 when they eliminated my territory because it was to hard to find enough students. I preached just like Mike for those 12 years because the demand was and is so huge!!!
In Jr. High and High School, we had “shop” class. Metal, wood, auto, electric. I took one of each every year. The first two semesters where mandatory, the following 10 were elective. I loved it, and there I found my calling. These classes led my through three career paths, all well paying. The first was auto mechanics. I served in the US Army as a 63T - Infantry tracked/wheeled vehicle vehicle. I was employed as a machinist, then tool and die maker in aerospace. Finally (and longest) the field I work in today - systems/network administration for a major aerospace company. I will gather your requirements, spec equipment and software, define personnel roles and responsibilities, build it, maintain it, and teach your personnel how to do this as I go. I will run a technical team, and we will produce results far beyond your expectations, built with flexibility and future expansion as a standard. I will never be a manager because I do not hold a college degree, and I am just fine with that. My wife and I own our home, paid for our child’s education, and we will retire comfortably. I will never be without a good income and solid work. This is a direct result of trade training and hard work. All because of shop class.
Sean, I loved your story and could relate to it also. Our school had the same classes and were hands down the best in the school. I was shocked to learn they did away with all those shop classes and I would guess the teachers also,what a shame they had more of an impact on me then all the rest of the mindless, robotic individuals they had teaching. I have made a good living working with my hands in the trades and my two fine sons are on their way to doing the same. I respect you for taking it to a much higher level and i could only pray that the rest of the country wakes up and realize how valuable the trades are for all of us. Thanks for your story and god bless Mike Rowe for his efforts to slap some sense into these assholes.that boy is a national treasure!
Eric Jacobsen My most influential teacher was my woodshop teacher( an ex cop) I went on to a 30 year career as a machinist. Bought a home, raised a family, yada,yada.I love creating things with my hands. Now Im a bike mechanic for fun and cheap parts!!
This is exactly why I teach what I teach!
@Brandon Toad don't blame the Republicans, the left wants everyone to depend on the govt while not working a trade job, just sit around and get a check
Anytime, we let others, especially government make decisions for us and depend on them instead of being self reliant, we stunt our opportunity for growth and limit our own ability to have true freedom.
Mike has 2 of the "Endangered Skills" ........common sense and thinking !
Common sense, critical thinking, and work ethic
Also,courageous, confident risk taker! 💪A good role model for the men that are being so feminized nowadays!
GDIT!...a dying breed
for sure?
@@paulaloewen2517 ..
yes, single mothers pushing that agenda
full tilt.
skid gas a BIG HEAD & MOUTH !!!!
Wise words that will fall on deaf over educated ears.
@Jaedy Purple Mis educated, right.🙂
@@anvilsbane2196 na just educated above their own intelligence.
@Jaedy Purple Glad that’s sorted. None of us need any MORE crazy! Stay well.
SKID rWoe !!!!!!!!
lmao imagine thinking "over educated" is an insult. How dumb can you be
Whoever gave this video a thumbs down is part of the problem
Love Las Vegas thumbs downs count as thumbs ups 😂
Gavin Newsom did it.
Congress doesn’t care because they have medical and pension and high salaries. Their goal is only to be in power and keep people down.
@@luthiervandros ha ha that was a good one
The college and university presidents... They say “don’t listen to this man that speaks logically with common sense...” come waste years being brainwashed and go in debt for the next 25/30 years of your life.
Mike Rowe, we need many men like him to lead this country.
More importantly, we need a lot more men like him in this world.
We need a lot more FATHERS who can build confidence in their children and give them good guidance.
@@markanthony3275 Thats a bit loaded. Think before you point the gun please.
@@Salmacream You don't agree with about a hundred years of psychological research?
The founding fathers never intended for this country to be led by career politicians and their dynasties. The government was always supposed to be comprised of influential and hard-working members of communities that could act as their communities' representatives. You weren't supposed to stay in Washington in a nice big house once your tenure was up, you were supposed to return to your community and continue to be an influential and hard-working contributor.
@@markanthony3275 Nice job putting words in my mouth. I said "Thats a bit loaded. Think before you point the gun please."
Not "You don't agree with about a hundred years of psychological research?"
I understand you are an idiot. But please dont put words into my mouth. You want to push some agenda. I think, you should think about how you word your sentences before you push that agenda. Dont come at me like I kicked your dog next time.
Also if the joke wasn't clear, you are an idiot because you somehow missread my entire post. Not because I care about what you said. I dont give a fuck about the topic just the way you worded it.
Absolutely accurate. I grew up in the 90’s being constantly told “go to college otherwise you’ll serve fries and McDonald’s the rest of your life”. So I went and the majority of my adult life is spent working to fund the f***ing lending companies who have absurd interest rates and a small fraction of my monthly payment actually goes towards principals. I don’t mind paying back what I borrowed and even a little on top. I understand that companies need to make a profit from lending… but I’m going to be paying back at least double what I borrowed over the course of 20+ years paying this back and I will forever be bitter towards the government and academic institutions for it.
I have an extremely short attention span but i didn't even notice how long this letter was with Mike. I could listen to him for hours. He is so articulate and just simply has common sense
As a father , i look at my children with great joy, pride.
As an electrician when i pass a commercial structure that I was apart of wiring,.. I look upon that building or site lighting with the same feelings of pride and joy.
I am a skilled labor! I am an American Electrician!!!
Thank you
The only ones, besides God, that can truly proclaim "Let There Be Light!".
I never proclaimed to be the giver of light through thought and spoken words.
Where did I proclaim that?
@@jdwilliamsou812 I don’t think they meant that in a disrespectful way, simply saying that you “could” proclaim: Let there be light! Tongue-in-cheek...
I know that feeling myself. As a 3rd year apprentice, I installed or had a hand in every single fixture that went into a 3 story building and parking lot. It was the first project I got to see from coming out of the ground to the last switch plate.
The skills I learned got me a job as an electrician in a local hospital. I am grateful for the trade!!
My parents hounded me about going to a 4 yr institution(pun intended), so much so that I quit high school, got a job as an HVAC apprentice and fast forward to today. $60,000 a yr. House paid for. No debt. Very high credit rating. Good retirement future. I’ve learned chemistry, physics, geometry, sociology, psychology, mental, emotional, psychological and physical strengths and endurance. I have learned very meaningful life skills/lessons useful daily and the confidence and ability to tackle damn near anything, successfully. Not bad for a high school drop out with a ged who didn’t step foot on a college campus.
To Mikes point, the average age of HVAC techs is 53. I’m 54. This trade, and many like it, will not be taken over by A.I. anytime soon. A.I. needs tradespeople to manufacture, maintain, do preventative maintenance for longevity and make repairs. Everything it takes to build a building of any size/kind needs tradespeople.
I suggest letting people research their interests and decide what they want to do for a profession on their own, instead of pushing them in another direction.
There’s so much more to life than colleges, universities and the massive debt to be able to obtain a successful career/life. A person of either gender can learn a satisfying technical profession without the unnecessary huge debt, without free college, that really isn’t free, and get PAID for learning.
If you’re not a total jerk and don’t see yourself as “entitled” and stick with it, you can have a great career with much needed knowledge that few people will have WITHOUT starting off neck deep in debt.
Give it an honest, nose to the grindstone effort, and you might surprise yourself!
Your life story is just about exactly what Mike talks about, and has been talking about for a long time. The common narrative these days is the opposite of this. A modest house's mortgage worth of debt and no prospects. Plus a dubious education that often produces remarkable illiteracy.
43 years ago I earned a very inexpensive undergrad degree, and then promptly went to work in an academic Sciences library, where I work still. I love my job, because it allowed me to never stop learning. I read and research at a doctorate level now, and all of that was self-taught. My secret? Simple. Although I was a typically active boy, sports, hiking, camping and all the usual - I turned into a bookworm in grade 4. And that was a resource I never let go of.
University should be left to the people who are built for it. Which is how it was fifty years ago. But at that time, there was still a strong societal push toward blue collar, because most high school grads had family members who were blue collar, and had remarkably stable lives.
Incidentally - had I not bothered at all with university, my second choice would have been television Production, because A/V skills have always been a fascination for me. But I turned into a musician instead, and that has been a satisfying lifelong hobby. (A hobby, because I detest showBIZ, and especially the music business.) But I love music.
I do agree so much with what you say here. Far too many young people are being taught that the road to success is one narrow one size fits all path. A path that leads to a dead end for far too many.
What do your parents think of you now?
Nice.....I align my life in your reply. Was pressured to pursue hotel management by family. Started a 4 year college degree, soon found out that this was definately not for me. After 3 months decided to enter into trades, automotive, cable, along those lines. Always been a handy person, loved to tinker and take things apart. At 60, retired, own home and money in the bank.
Many people missing the boat these days. So sad.
Phillip Jenkins Great post I just made a similar one. Too many people do not respect the people who make and maintain what they take for granite rely on and have no clue about. The Working Class Hero's. You with the temperature of the buildings they work in. I with the transportation up and down the buildings and many many more other trades for the modern world to work. Imagine what it would be like if in a SHTF situation. Who is the most needed important people ? The tradesmen and mechanics type ! I am an elevator/escalator mechanic and 2 years younger than you. (not much at this age) Gen X Punk and proud succeeding where the hippies failed ! Thumbs up on your post.
@ry494 but you get paid while doing your apprenticeship for doing the work. You don't pay tens of thousands of dollars to an institution then start your work career in the hole.
Well said Mike, I look forward to seeing you testify in a few years about how things have gotten worse.
Mike...you need to stop! LOL!
A wise man. I'm so thankful for all he has done and continues to do.
How can anyone dislike a guy who's only goal is to help people.
Well stated!!!!
My daughter is going to a technical school in our town that teaches welding, coding and billing, mechanics and other things it's more like a trade school and she's graduating this year and she's only 18
Outstanding! Best Wishes to her!
@@jedironin380 , thank you. Her dad and I are very proud of her ourselves. We're hoping that when our two younger boys graduate from high school they go to the same school as her and learn something there, too
God bless you and your family, as you are the backbone of what makes a great nation!
Yes... they call that Hire education. ...
My mom told me that her family survived the great depression because her dad was a plumber. Always had work. Good for your daughter. Hope she outshines everyone.
Mike Rowe is awesome. Been watching him for years. I like how most of the room doesn't get his jokes. These conferences are a joke because none of those politicians were actually listening to what he was saying. Falling on deaf ears.
SAD..... But so TRUE !!!!!
I admire and respect Mike Rowe so much! He’s a wonderful entertainer and a brilliant occupational mentor.
Started going to college to be a math and science teacher. Started a job shortly after in sheet metal shop to earn money for college. Within months I was night manager making more money than a math or science teacher. Quit college. Moved and worked in a machine shop making even more. Then started working constructing gas plants doing millwright work. Making waaaay more money than a teacher. Ended up with a CDL driving in the oilfield making over 100,000 a year. I'm 28 now. Snob nosed college grads would think I don't have a great job but chances are they aren't using their degree or I make more then they do anyway. Not everyone is suited for a desk and a tie. We are all different, different strengths and weaknesses, society needs to realize this and promote the skills of the individual
True
You are the kind of guy we need, Mr. Sedgwick. I wish there were more of you.
No one cares, fella. Really.
@@markfox1545 you care enough to comment and 89 others care enough to like his story.
I'm 42 and right after high school my parents looked me in the eye and said we can't afford college can you? A few months later I swore into the Marines and now I'm close to retiring as a PO. My dad said to me early on that life is work.
Tk you Sir for your service!!!! I salute you!
Yeah, I second Ruawaterwalker's comment. 🤓🍻
Your father was right to the point of sacrifice. Semper fi.
Been a diesel mechanic for 5 years now, started when I was 18 and I’m 23 now and still love it. I hope to be in this trade forever.
He is so right. When I was in high school 27 years ago since I graduated. I took woodworking, metal working, drafting, welding. Why because my mom had taught me to sew and cook at home. My choice of taking those classes through high school gave me the tools to be able to fix what I need done around the house. I still may only know how to glue to pipes together to stop a leaky water pipe but guess what I did it on my own. I build my own furniture. No I didn’t make a career out of it. But I do crafts and I sell them out of wood. So maybe taking those classes years ago did help me with a hobby/career choice today. We need more kids interested in “blue collar” jobs. I have even been tossing it around to go back to our community college to start a nursing career. But with me being 45 now I don’t know.
My coworker started nursing classes last year, she is 49. Never too old ❤️
You "hit the nail right on the head!" Mike Rowe. I'm a carpenter, no pun intended. I'm from Canada and we're facing the same problems up here too. Going through school, we faced the same thing. Being in the trades was considered to be a joke. We were laughed at and not even taken serious. Now there's a high demand for skilled labour and a lack of demand for jobs requiring a university education. A job in the skilled trades is fun, exciting, satisfying and lucrative.
THIS is what America NEEDS, More people WITH skills,,and fewer people with their hands out for Freebees
THANK YOU
No, what the US needs is sound monetary policy, that is backed by gold, and that doesn't endlessly print worthless promisory notes. Work smarter, not harder.
@@Plissken68 think you meant this comment for something else? ...not saying you're wrong but he was totally right
The people who always scream usually can't fend for themselves. It's ironic because they take handouts every day.
Be careful who you call out as people receiving assistance. Walk a mile in their shoes first.
Man, how do you not follow this guy?! He's great. He's got it right.
This man is so on point and one of the best spoken / brilliant minds of our time, pay attention to everything he has to say
Perfectly presented and stated Mr. Rowe!! I have a 46 yr old son who went to trade/tech school as a part of a high school program. He is a Master Welder, (who now supervises his shift). He has worked in this field with excellence and pride for 26+ years now. He is joyfully with his bride of 25 yrs and has two caring, beautiful children. Why tell you all this??... He chose the skilled trades path & THIS momma/grandma is couldn’t be prouder of him🤗❣️
Keep up the great work of spreading the message about our beloved U.S.A.s’ need to promote and support the education and dire need of skilled laborers!!
At least YOU SIR, are doing more than just complaining about it!!🤛
Sincere thanks & God bless you🙏🏼‼️
Love what you said and how you said it. Also, great use of emojis lol
Welding is great as long as your eyes and lungs hold out. Burning metal 8-12 hours a day for 25 years is not good for your health.
Mike Rowe is timeless. Everything he said 3yrs ago in this hearing came true.
Everytime this man speaks I grow as a individual 😇
He’s right. I’ve said this for almost 40 years. The problem continues, just as Mike Rowe testified.
I never miss a time when I can here Mike Row talk.
Mike Rowe is one of the smartest & most basic people in tv or public relations. He makes common sense & has the right answer for so
many high school & trade school & college kids---as well as adults who have the brains & guts to get a new "hands on" job.
I wish politicians & teachers & parents & school kids would just listen to this guy & follow his advice to a good work life.
I worked in landscaping and home improvement to help pay for my college for a degree that I have never used! If only I had listened to Mike Rowe!
His superhero power is that he keeps good humor while in the middle of his fight.
Freakin love this guy! So genuine and true hearted with crazy down to earth intelligence..he just makes sense..
He’s a Christian... that’s why he’s so grounded.
@@T410ce christians are some of the least grounded people ever. absolutely close minded. every one i've ever met.
Mike,already sit at the most "dirty" place on earth ! ! ! the congress ! ! !
"Dirty" is the wrong word, because dirt is important and serves a purpose. "Filthy" is the correct word because filth has no purpose.
He has reached the pinnacle of dirty!
@@Rattlerjake1 finally somebody who gets it...
Finally someone I respect who confirms my suspicion for all these years that my guidance counselor in high school actually DIDN’T know what was best for me.
Thank you trade school and hard work.
i mean guidance counselors work in education for the sake of education, and were taught education so they could have a say in education. they are all about what is now "traditional" education-- that is, grades k-12 and then a 4+ year college. it's to be expected that they, of all people, would hard push a 4-year program like they had to trudge through, because that's the education they know and can talk about with experience-- whereas they tend to know little about trades aside from the stigmas and misinfo they've heard over the years. also funneling more people into college-type education directly benefits them. i got lucky and my school seemed to have counselors that also promoted trade schools to an extent, but some of my teachers really disliked the idea of their students going to a trade school to the point of looking at some differently for wanting go to the trade route-- despite there being many poorer kids that could never afford university and the debt that comes along with it.
unhinged rant over. tl;drthe state of education in the US is quite sad :C
@@linkly9272 Those minimum word count essays really putting in work, aren't they.
@@smolpener7430 LOL
jokes on you my classes only ever had maximum word count essays because many of my teachers were underpaid and/or lazy and did not want to grade a 50000 word essay
4 years later... thank you Saint Mike Rowe.
I am now 36 yrs old. Months before I graduated high school, I was under tremendous pressure to ‘go to college ‘ by my fathers family, not really my father though( he was an average blue collar worker his entire life).... I was done with school, but , I had a welding class in high school and I followed that path.... fast forward 19 years, and I will say that I make more money as a pipeline welder than 95% of my cousions do that went to college for engineering and blah blah blah. Yea it’s hard work, but I have 0% student loans ( from the school of hard knocks) and pay more in taxes than a lot of college graduates make in a years time. Work is work...... that’s why it’s called “work”
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Attributed to Thomas A. Edison. (Not sure he actually said it, but its true.)
Mr. Rowe if you see this God bless you my thoughts and prayers go out to you to keep up the good work God bless you and your family
Who doesn't love Mr. Mike Rowe?! He is a great man! GOD BLESS AMERICA!! 🇺🇸
TY Mike for your conservative and patriotic Outlook for a positive Change 👍👍🙏🙏 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
As usual Mike your message was clear, and well presented. I’m sure nothing will come of it, you are speaking to maladjusted people with an agenda. That said, you tried, obviously some people were listening, unfortunately no-one in the committee. Keep it up, if we ever wake up as a Country, maybe some people will listen to this presentation and think. I’m not holding my breath.
🤔
Reintroduce basic, necessary skills into High Schools again: Home Economics, and Shop Skills...they are SO helpful...in real life !
And both males and females should take both.
Theresa Butler I learned so much in jr high shop. Stuff I use most days. My only regret is I was unable to take the third shop class.
Yes, all of those liberated women learning how to make bread and clean toilets and iron again....can picture it now!
@@MK-sw2vk found the obvious sexist.... who says home ec is only a class for women? apparently you with a comment like that.
Mike Rowe is a rare American in that he's always for middle American workers. He supports and promotes physical/tech labor jobs. THANK YOU MIKE ROWE from my home state of Maryland!!
AWESOMELY GAND THIS MAN IS. DOWN TO EARTH, FULL OF COMMON SENSE, AND VERY SMART.
Was pressured out of High School for college choice to be made. Decided against massive debt and school for 4 years and crappy jobs that come with it. Took online and votech classes. Read as much material I could find about electronics. Found entry level position at job that paid for certifications and additional training. Long hours and hard work but in less than 4 years made lead lead status in position and have been making more than the bosses for more than 10 years now. They regret the day of offering a performance bonus to those of us putting 100% into it day in day out
Kyle Phipps. I went to college for one semester switched to a local co tech. I'm glad I did beacuse the degree I was after is dead now
Brad Manuel what were you studying?
yes, my two year voc schooling, lead position in six months in engineering department outdoing the 4 year EE guys :-) and yes I make more than the boss now :-)
Obviously, you don't belong to a union, which would punish you for that for that attitude towards your work.
@@michaelsjolin people may not like what you said but it’s the truth.
After watching Mike Row through dirty jobs and his podcast I took on a trade job instead of college, I've got to say... I have no debt I paid back the school in just under a year, I work as an electrician and am very stable and happy in my life. I can only imagine what my life would have been like if I chose my arts degree in a 4 year institution.
I went the route Mike suggested and followed my dream. Directly after high school, I went to an automotive tech school in Phoenix, Universal Technical Institute. 25 years later, after injuring my back, I again attended a tech school, Coleman College (now University) and learned Computer Electronics Technology. 10 years before I retired, I started a handyman service. I'm retired now but I had a very pleasant 50 years of performing services for others. I own my own home, paid off my truck, and I have no debt. Thanks, Mike. Even though I didn't know you or hear of you back then, you are telling the truth. Service people are in great demand and always will be. Life is good when you have work and are loved. Just Do It, folks.
Mr. Rowe is a true hero to the working man Bless this man don't ever change
Rowe for pres! 2020 and beyond!
At least Sec. Of Education.
Dale Martin Trim some Washington fat. Combine the departments of labor and education. Put him in charge of the whole thing.
SPEW CATCHER with his lying mouth !!!
Not 2020. There is still corruption so his work is not completed.
100% spot on Mike! As a teacher with 25 years experience in the classroom, I have watched with chagrin the powers that be continuously try fitting square pegs in round holes. Many students are NOT academically inclined, but are highly skilled at trades and crafts, yet because the emphasis in schools is academic, they are failing. Added to this misguided approach is the fact that students with learning disabilities are thrust into regular academic classrooms, "with accommodations," for no other reason but to "increase their self-esteem." It's hogwash, and today's educational leaders need to be thrown out of their positions and replaced with individuals who actually know what the hell they are doing!
Spot on with your assessment of our educational system today. I'm sure you are familiar with the term "least restrictive environment" in education which has probably done more to dumb down classroom instruction than just about anything else. Grouping students together based on nothing but age is another drawback of our current system. We should be grouping learners by ability and aptitude, not age. There should also be different tracks they could follow based on interests and abilities.
Absolutely.
I agree but I take issue that only the not academically strong should pursue the trades . I finished high in school and could have done anything . I chose trades not because my grades were bad. It because I enjoy it .
Totally agree.
Apparently..
Albert Einstein wrote, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” The question I have for you at this point of our journey together is, “What is your genius?”
I have a 9yr old daughter, I tell her not to sweat school grades, as soon as she finds something she is interested in, it will all fall into place.
Any person who can work with their hands & mind knows they can ALWAYS find work. Amen Mike !
Years later and this still holds true. Mike Rowe for President!!!
IF YOU NEVER GOTTEN YOUR HANDS DIRTY IN A BLUE COLLAR JOB. YOU CANT RELATE .TOO THE FEELING OF A ACCOMPLISHMENT. OF A JOB WELL DONE.
Blue collar for life. My entire family on both sides are the same. We are not rich but we do alright. My cousin was the first person in my family history to go to college about 10 years ago. He works blue collar working on and programming tooling machines. It's all good.
Just because you don't work blue collar doesn't mean you don't work hard, and vice versa. It's just a different kind of work. I don't speak from either side but a hustle's a hustle
Did it for 35yrs and PROUD!!!!
yep. We work hard, and get stuff done. My husband retired 20 years ago at the age of 50, and he's never been happier cutting his own wood, field stripping a tractor, doing his own stuff, his own way. Me too. I look at that full shed of wood and think, hot damn, I did that. That's contentment.
I’m very proud to tell stories of going home at the end of the day and emptying the dirt from my pockets from being in a trench all day. My personal slogan is: “never trust a man with soft hands”.
A lot of the people in my extended family grew up in the trades and now that they are retired their lives are great, they had very good lives and were able to live and raise families very, very comfortably!
Mike Rowe is right, there is great wisdom in referring these young people to community colleges, trade schools and apprenticeship programs! I know, we lived it and we LIVED QUITE WELL and are retired very comfortably!
42 years IBEW. Retired making more money than when I was working. Too bad Mike Rowe pushes a political agenda that has undermined the very Institutions that make this possible- TRADE UNIONS.
We need more people like Mike Rowe
😮😮My brother has two young sons in the skilled trades work force. They are doing very well. His daughter is currently in a skilled welding program and already has job offers 6 months before graduation. Thanks Mike Rowe.
Hey mike ,Plumber here 300k a year outstanding advice my friend !
buster smith self owned businesses are a beautiful thing....but you probably will never know
buster smith .....you are dead wrong my friend. Small home renovations business here. Turned $385,000 in business last year....net profit of $126,000.....oh did I mention that was working 3.5 days per week with a total of no more than 32 hours per week max. Most of the time 25 hours per week. Sure, I could take on more work, but at this stage in life I value family time more than a higher income.
Small business that solves peoples problems....fulfills their desires....and consists of knowledge, ability, and skill that they simply dont have....well, it pays alot better than one realizes
What ever you say !!
buster smith ......lol. Clearly you have come to a conclusion....whether based on knowledge or not. Take care
buster smith .....good for you. Seriously. So you of all people should know that the previous statements are a reality for many many people.
Sounds like I’m watching dirty jobs again haha miss that show
Yea me too
galindojuan1 it is a dirty job trying to get threw the brain of those liberal idiots on the panel. They want to give out everything free and not work for it, Demorats are the problem
galindojuan1 ..watching dirty jobs throughout this pandemic event
Cowgirl I never got a notification about your reply.. might be a bit late about this reply but ya we need to have the garbage man and take out the smelly trash
Great speech Mike Rowe. Its true in Australia too.
Damn! Smartest man on the planet right there!
I knew a guy who worked as a farmer for years. he loved it. he told me there's nothing like looking back after a hard days work at a clean farm, happy animals and full fields. his emotionally abusive parents had always put him down and eventually they broke him down. he became a physical therapist. he was so unhappy he eventually killed himself. father of 4, good human being, gone forever because blue collar work=wasted life in America today.
A true genuine hard working down to earth man more of us need to emulate
I couldn’t think of a more qualified person to make this address
Good job Mike, during my high school education I had a passion for welding that continued into a welding apprenticeship with a Large Steel Company. I worked at this trade for 38 years and retired comfortably from it. In the last 10 years of my career, I was a foreman leading crews and teams. I also was responsible for hiring new welders. 20% of those hired had higher education degrees from local universities but because there was not work in their fields they decided to go into the trades. Most trade salaries where 100K per year with overtime. Far higher than the P Eng and Techs in our department. I do question the Guidance Counselor's decisions to direct students out of the trades and into high tuitions and dreams. The GC's need to get it right.
The best decision I've ever made is dual enrolling from my high school and going to the local trade school half the school day to learn to become an electrician.
Would have loved to see the reaction from the committee and the audience. Mike Rowe for President!!!
Mr. Mike Rowe, I just want to say you sir are AWESOME!!!
Spot on Mike Rowe thank you for standing up you are a true patriot and again thank you 👍🤙🇺🇸
The Vermonter Bert Saldi
Spot on, Mr. Rowe. Thanks for being there for us. God bless you, and your family.
I love mike rowe. Really. This guy is great. A real inspiration.
Hearing him talk about skyrocketing college prices hit me home... My mom got her degree in 2002. The average cost per semester for her was only about 1k. Books a total of maybe 200. Which she got most back.
4 years later i graduated high school. A year later i went to university just like she had 5 years earlier.. But my tuition per semester was 5k. Books cost me 800, of that, i got maybe 50 bucks back for them. It rose and by the end of my 3 years there, tuition was 8k a semester. Books nearly 1k. They started demanding we buy "ebooks" thst wouldnt let you access them until 1 month into class and ended 3 weeks before the final, locking you out. My mom was horrified, wondering why financial aid did nothing, what i was buying to make tuition so expensive. Literally. The prices were merely that. She had her 7k student loans dismissed through a grant she had signed back in the day before I "finished" university. I had 20k in student loans. I held out as long as i could on taking them but that 20k was literally only 1 year. I got in a car wreck, no car, injuries, couldnt afford it all, and had to quit. Its been 9 years. I still have student loans to the tune of 16k. I pay 300 a month. It never goes down. Covid has been a relief, it got my loans paused, so at least i got to save that 300 for a while.
Amen Mr Rowe.
The return of 'work satisfaction' pride in purpose.
Work requiring self governance, common sense, practical skills, mental agility, courage, compassion, empathy, physical strength emotional fortitude, and collaborative problem solving. More essential to sustaining life and civilization, economy and environment, than someone with 4 years of learning how to perpetuate and nourish the global economy - and increasingly centralised control of money supply.
This is what I’ve been saying for decades about college degrees, the skills gap, and what defines a good job. I’ve been saying it since I decided not to go to college back in the 80s. I’m just a private person without a platform. I know I’m not the only one who’s been aware of this other than Mike. I’m just glad he’s saying it publicly and getting people’s attention.
Gotta love the way Mike speaks. Audible chocolate...
You know, he used to sing opera.
he could narrate anything and I would listen.
Id listen to him read the phone book.
black like pooooo !!
"I was told outright a 2 year school was beneath my potential."
When I was in school, we had a tech center with vocational training and such. I wanted to attend and take some of the programming classes. My guidance counselor told me that program "isn't meant for students like you," and that I'd "be much better off with some AP classes and studying programming in college." I could have graduated high school with all the technical certifications I currently hold for my job with the added benefit of my CompTIA certs never expiring from back then. I also would have college credits beyond gen-ed courses. Long story short, I lost a lot of time and money to get a degree that matters much less than my portfolio... and that's still with one of the "good jobs."
Thanks Mike. I went to work out of High school and 51 years later at age 69, I was displaced by the ignorant CEO and management system. I had pride in working in medical industry and care for millions of people. A degree means nothing to me!
Mike Rowe is one of the few celebrities in this country who is actually actively working to produce some tangible benefit for everyday people. He is also brilliant in his common-sense approach. "Dirty Jobs" was truly inspired and entertaining show and will always be one of my favorite series as it portrayed dignity, respectability and humility, none of which are held up as examples by the entertainment industry. It simply would not play today.
I hope Mr. Rowe continues to make these appeals and wish him all the best with the MikeRoweWorks Foundation. This country needs more Mike Rowes.
I want to know what the ladies to his left were doing.
Nice view
I'm guessing sign language translation or stenography.
The lady on Mike's right (our left) has a great set of...nails! I wonder if she pops balloons with them.
Stenography I think
Johnny Lee I considered that, and it may be true. I just figured he’s smart enough to know that. I’ve know what a court stenographer was since reruns of Perry Mason when I was a kid. Maybe it’s all done on iPads now or some other type of device that is unrecognizable.
I'm 43 with a wonderful wife of 22yrs and 2 sons , one 23 and 8, yeah I know..... I took carpentry/construction at my local vocational school just to get out of high school classes for half the day my sophomore and junior year, well 23yrs later as a member of labors local #172 of south jersey, I can say with pride "YOUR DAMN RIGHT ILL PICK UP THAT SHOVEL"!!!!! Great medical & Retirement which is around the corner...... Today's youth is VERY concerning....
To our Politicians .... "The TRUTH HURTS" !!!!!
I think the reason they won't take this seriously is that most are tied in with major lenders and without guaranteed students borrowing they would not get a return on their investments. I dropped out and went straight into a Trade and have go on to work overseas. With technology today i can teach myself whatever i need to.
Thank you Mike, hopefully one day your words and wisdom, first hand knowledge will be heard and taken seriously. There is nothing wrong with being a skilled labor worker. I raised my two sons working and without government assistance.
Hello, how are you?
Mike Rowe has always been my favorite person on tv he is a genuine honest smart man two thumbs up your absolutely correct mike your the best
God bless Mike Rowe! He is the Voice of the Working Man...The Backbone of America!
He’s got such a voice it can’t even be explained