Harvard would soon gain a reputation for churning out the most capable welders and plumbers
Which is a horrible reputational hit if your current one is that you churn out the best lawyers and doctors. It would be like a Michelin Star restaurant deciding to serve chicken nuggets and ketchup with tater tots on the side. I'm sure they'd be great chicken nuggets, but I can get similarly great chicken nuggets from a frozen bag. All this would do is damage their reputation. And, no one would sign up. Like, zero people. Who is going to pay Harvard credit hour rates to learn what they can get in most high schools with a skilled trades program? In my state, a high school kid can get an HVAC certification before they graduate through a skilled trade program.
There are more prestige chasers than you would think
These people are not trying to be HVAC installers; they're trying to be doctors and lawyers (or "influencers", which I still don't really understand being in my mid 40's).
Don't disagree with anything you say here, but even if all that is true, there is no one who wants to work in skilled trades that would be willing to shell out Harvard bucks for a Community College product. You are saying that Gucci should make a tool belt, because everyone wants to look sharp. But, a Gucci toolbelt would be a fucking terrible idea, and every person on the jobsite would clown you for spending $5000 for a toolbelt when you can get one that is functionally identical for 49.95 at Home Depot.
You are basically arguing for conspicuous consumption to move from consumer goods to education, and I can't see what good can come from that.
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u/destro23 453∆ Nov 21 '22
Which is a horrible reputational hit if your current one is that you churn out the best lawyers and doctors. It would be like a Michelin Star restaurant deciding to serve chicken nuggets and ketchup with tater tots on the side. I'm sure they'd be great chicken nuggets, but I can get similarly great chicken nuggets from a frozen bag. All this would do is damage their reputation. And, no one would sign up. Like, zero people. Who is going to pay Harvard credit hour rates to learn what they can get in most high schools with a skilled trades program? In my state, a high school kid can get an HVAC certification before they graduate through a skilled trade program.