“At a time when millions of capable people are unemployed, 5.6 million good jobs exist for anyone willing to learn a skill that’s actually in demand. But no one is lining up to take these jobs. Why? I think it’s because “We the People” have convinced an entire generation that a whole category of critical vocations are simply not worth pursuing.” – Mike Rowe

I recently participated in a project at work called “Skilled Trades Georama” in which Beaumont Health partnered with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and MiTalent to produce a video to benefit high school students. It is part of a series featuring Under the Radar host Tom Daldin as he takes an inside look at various STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) industries, getting a tour of different Michigan companies and interviewing employees.

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My participation in the experience was as a project coordinator, acting as a liaison between the companies involved and managing schedules. So once it came time to conduct the live filming in the Beaumont- Royal Oak Hospital, I was able to enjoy the interviews as a fly on the wall. Besides the countless times patients and employees of Beaumont alike came up to Tom saying “I love your show!” and “I just watched your Port Huron episode the other night!”, it was fun to see the local celebrity conduct goofy yet informative interviews with a couple of Occupational Therapists and an Ultrasonographer, as well as the Director of Human Resources at the campus. The episode aired live on the internet, and local schools were welcome to participate by emailing or tweeting in questions that Tom could then pose to the employees. That way, students could feel like they were a part of the tour and get immediate answers to their questions about working in healthcare.

You can view the video here: http://mitalent.org/beaumont-hospital

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The series is part of an effort to inform students of an alternative to the four-year college degree; namely, skilled trades careers.  Recently there have been a growing number of initiatives and campaigns to bring the issue of the skills gap to light, with Mike Rowe, star of Dirty Jobs and Somebody’s Gotta Do It, at the helm.

Rowe claims that the skills gap is “a symptom of what we value.” In other words, the skills gap is widening as the need for these jobs increases because the four-year degree is perpetually encouraged as the only prosperous route after high school. With standardized test scores being the ultimate determinate of success, along with media normalcy (think young adults portrayed in shows ranging from Girls to Greek, Target and Pottery Barn’s “dorm life” collections, university billboards along every freeway, and the devastating yet glorified plight of students facing mountains of loans as seen in advertising), it is no wonder that often in our country, we assume anyone from ages 18-22 are indeed enrolled at a college or university pursuing their bachelor’s degree.

The other side to that coin is all of mythological conceptions we as a society tend to hold in regards to skilled trade careers. Often, we think of these jobs as dangerous, filthy, and with little room for growth. Okay, so maybe sometimes these jobs are dirty (cough cough Dirty Jobs cough cough), but is that always a bad thing? More appreciation needs to go towards those people who do make a living in not as savory of a setting as an office or classroom. But, more and more skilled trade jobs that may have been “dirty” in the past are now evolving with more sanitary conditions, and with better health and safety regulations (thanks, technology). And there are plenty of careers that start at an apprenticeship level that allow for ample growth, both in skill development and income. Not to mention the programming and training for many of these careers do not require one to be shackled to student loan payments for decades to come.

According to MiTalent.com, skilled trades are some of the most in-demand jobs in Michigan today, with more than 8,300 job openings. That number will continue to grow, with more than 6,700 job openings expected every year through 2022. Which means that for young adults who do enter an apprenticeship or training program, finding a job relevant to their trade does not have to be a huge worry, which is more than I can say for my liberal arts degree.

I encourage everyone to check out the mikeroweWORKS Foundation at http://profoundlydisconnected.com/ and further educate yourself on the skills trade gap in our country, particularly in Michigan. Both in terms of financial concerns and vocation, the skilled trades route makes more sense than a four-year degree for many people, more than we are allowing ourselves to realize. Our country needs to recognize the value and necessity that both career routes provide in a functioning society, and Detroit is a great place to lead the way in a new line of thinking. I’m glad that Beaumont was able to contribute to this conversation in one small way, and hope more influential organizations do so as well.