[bsder]

> The grand irony in all of this is that the people who did go on to become plumbers, electricians, mechanics, roofers, HVAC specialists, etc, are all the ones that are currently in huge demand.

Huge demand? Not in the US. Trades salary growth has been flat.

[rbritton]

The demand for many of those trades largely follows the rises and falls of the housing market. I grew up with family in that industry and have seen both extremes of it. Right now, in this area, there is more demand than labor. Several years ago the opposite was true.