07/30/2026
College is a great path.
But it is not the only path.
Somewhere along the way, we started talking about college like it was the automatic next step for every 18-year-old. For some kids, it absolutely is. They know what they want, the degree makes sense, and the math works.
But for a lot of young people, the math does not work anymore.
Four years of tuition, housing, books, fees, and student loans is a massive commitment to make before you’ve even figured out what kind of work you actually want to do.
Meanwhile, there are young men and women learning plumbing, welding, HVAC, electrical work, diesel mechanics, and other skilled trades who are getting paid to build real skills.
No giant student loan bill.
No waiting until 22 or 23 to start earning.
No pretending that sitting in a lecture hall is the only respectable way to build a future.
We need doctors, teachers, engineers, and accountants.
We also need people who can fix the air conditioner in July, keep the water running, wire the house safely, and build the things the rest of us depend on.
That’s not a backup plan.
That’s a real path.
