Dylan Erazo 9/16/2018
English Comp 1 Final Essay Professor CH
I believe that schools should reintroduce vocational skill classes in order to
prepare students for other opportunities outside of white collar professions. If schools
want people to succeed then they shouldn’t have the younger people all pointed in the
same direction. More options should be given so that students will have a chance to find
his/her calling. Not every student will want to work in an office when they are older.
Although today’s school system focuses on teaching students office style work, it would
bring more opportunity to have students learn hands on work.
There are two types of work, you have blue collar work vs white collar work. Blue
collar work is more manual/hands on skilled labor. Whereas white collar work is the
work done in an office. The trades refers to work that deals with hands on material. In
the trades you learn a set of skills to execute certain hands on tasks. Author Michael B.
Crawford conveys, “skilled manual labor entails a systematic encounter with the
material world” on page 12. These days most people view workers of blue collar work
as how the author puts, “our cultural iconography we are given the muscled arm, sleeve
rolled tight against biceps, but no thought bright behind the eye, no image that links
hand and brain.”’ page 12. The typical stereotype for a blue collar worker is a man who
is strong but does not know very much. Which can be false because there is a world of
skilled workers even though trades are on the decline.
There are many upsides in being a blue collar worker. If you like the idea of that
type of work then it would be suitable to you. Schools these days tend to frown upon
that type of work. As the author writes, “the hard-headed educator will say that it is
irresponsible to educate the young for the trades, which are somehow identified as the
jobs of the past.” page 8. Being a good tradesman can get you far in the blue collar
work. As the author puts, “This possibility was brought to light for many by the bestseller
The Millionaire Next Door, which revealed that the typical millionaire is the guy driving a
pickup, with his own business in the trades.” page 8. Thus showing that even in the
trades you can hit the millions in this type of work. This shows that blue collar work can
be a path to a good living.
According to the article, “Shop Class as Soulcraft” by Matthew B. Crawford, it
states, “Today, in our schools, the manual trades are given little honor” page 11. When
the author says that “our schools” give “little honor” he refers to how schools cast a
shadow over the manual labor. The “manual trades” are often overlooked by school’s.
On the same page it also says, “The preferred role model is the management
consultant”. The representing “role model” is someone to take example from, a
“management consultant” which is a job that focuses on organizing business. This type
of job leans towards “white-collar” work which would be considered a role model in
schools. That is the type of work that school endorses on young people.
Even growing up it always seemed our educational system often leaned towards
white collar work. Just in the set up of school you can tell it promotes office work, in
most of a students classes they are required to sit down in a chair with a desk in front of
them ready to execute work given on a sheet of paper. In high school the use of laptops
provided by the school was very common in accomplishing many assignments. In an
office job you are most likely required to sit behind a desk for a number of hours
executing work whether it be on paper or on a computer. In the article it says,”skilled
labor is becoming one of the few sure paths to a good living.” on page 8. This suggests
that manual/skilled labor is a pathway to success, if so then why wasn’t this type of work
given as an option or promoted more in school if it can help me succeed? I feel that
school systems should take into consideration all job opportunities and present them
equally to students so we realize what other job opportunities that there are.
The negatives of blue collar work is that manual labor is being education in the
field is decreasing and skilled workers are replaceable. Matthew B. Crawford points out,
“Once the cognitive aspects of the job are located in a separate management class, or
better yet in a process that, once designed, requires no ongoing judgement or
deliberation, skilled workers can be replaced with unskilled workers at a lower rate of
pay.” page 19. Once the basic procedures and steps to finishing a job are acquired then
the job can be blueprinted or mapped out. Therefore allowing people to hire those who
are unskilled but can follow instructions which receive less money. That can be a
downside to the skilled tradesman. The author complains, “Given the intrinsic richness
of manual work, cognitively, socially, and in its broader psychic appeal, the question
becomes why it has suffered such a devaluation in recent years as a component of
education.” page 15. The manual work has faced criticism and been devalued by the
education system. The author is complaining that the trades are so important yet they
aren’t receiving proper recognition in this generation.
Even though today’s school system primarily focuses on white collar work, would
blue collar work be beneficial to younger people? Everyone should be given equal
opportunity to engage in different career paths. Therefore it would be just that a school
system provides a variety of options rather than pointing people in the same direction of
work. Schools should promote all kinds of work and not cast a shadow over different
types of work other than white collared work.
