Gen X Mom Says ‘We Owe Our Kids An Apology’ After Pushing Them To Get 4-Year Degrees Instead Of Pursuing A Skilled Trade Was ‘Too Dangerous’
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If your parents told you that College was the only way to make a living, they weren’t lying – they were just giving outdated advice. A gen x mom on Reddit recently admitted that her generation was “turned on” by pushing kids into four-year degrees while the real money came from jobs.
“We owe our children an apology,” he wrote in a Reddit post. “They’ve been listening to the conversation about skilled trades and how many job openings there are for electricians, and it dawned on me that it might be on the rise.”
He explained that his generation grew up believing in success and seeking a diploma. “Admittedly, we’re a generation that was told, ‘No college degree = no job,’ and we ran that on our kids,” she said.
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Now, he added, their children are facing the consequences — student debt and jobs that don’t always pay enough to cover it. “If you have a BA in English, you’re looking at $35,000 to $45,000 for a public library,” he wrote. “Everything is going electronic — cars, home improvement tools, our AI centers — and we’ve made our kids throw themselves into four-year degrees instead of letting them pursue skilled careers.”
His message to the younger generations was emotional but sympathetic: “Please look at the income of welders, pipers before sending money to a university that will not translate into income.”
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of electricians is expected to grow by 92% between 2024 and 2034, while it is expected to be HVAC Mechanics, and it is expected that HVAC installers and both “
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Meanwhile, salaries in these trades have increased. The annual wage for an electrician was $62,350 in 2024, and HVAC technicians earned $59,810, according to the BLS. Both can be advanced with experience, overtime, or business ownership – and neither requires a four-year degree.
A McKinsey & Company Workforce Study found that nearly 70% of US Construction and Fields will struggle to fill trade positions, especially in Electrical, HVAC, and welding work. Shortages have forced companies to raise wages, delay projects, and pour money into hiring and training programs — just to stay afloat.
Analysts come in with their own experiences. A former associate with the administration said, “The glorification of this work has been going on for the past 10 years. But it would help me a lot in 1990.” Another described the physical damage: “Destroyed bodies. Dragging myself to work each day. Excruciating physical pain every day of work.”
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Some say the real problem is not education itself but the way society defines success. “Blue-collar parents weren’t pressuring kids to avoid the trades because they hated them,” one user wrote. “It’s because they know these companies will grind your bones to make their bread and want better.”
Another commentator, whose father works as a mechanic, said, “He didn’t want me to break my body to heal – but he also didn’t want me to be on the level.”
Because the mother started the conversation, this problem is not about politics or policy – it is an opinion. His generation pushed degrees as a golden ticket. Now, you see that the ticket comes in fine print.
And for the generation that grew up ‘get a degree and you’ll be right,’ saying” We owe our children an apology “may be the most honest lesson yet.
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This article Gen X x Mom Says ‘We Owe Our Kids an Apology’ After Pushing Them to Get a 4-Year Degree Instead of Pursuing a Skilled Trade ‘came’ from Benzinga.com
