What Happens If…?
Originally Published April 2023
If you have ever spent much time around little children, you know that they have a never-ending flow of questions.
Why is the sky blue?
When will we get there?
Where does the bath water go when you pull the plug?
Why aren’t there any more dinosaurs?
The list can go on and on because we are born naturally curious beings, and we want to know. As we grow, our questions become more complex and more about our everyday lives.
How will I pay for the repairs on my car?
Should I buy or rent?
Is this the right person for me to marry?
Here is another question that is worth asking right now: What happens if we don’t invest in education and training for in-demand fields such as plumbing, electrical, firefighting, education, auto technologies, construction, and nursing? And what happens if we don’t have professionals in these fields who will teach the next generation? Well, let’s think about it.
The most obvious answer is that the cost of those services will go up. The more in-demand the work, the more that employers must pay in salaries to attract and retain employees. That reality means that the cost to consumers of those services will also be higher.
Ok, so things will cost more. But…there’s more.
The wait time for those services will also get longer. Your hot water heater goes out unexpectedly (is there any other way your hot water heater goes out?). Your wait time for repair or replacement may not be a day or a few days, it could be much longer.
Ok, so I wait a little longer for service. But …there’s more.
Imagine that you are experiencing an emergency such as a fire or medical trauma. The shortage of first responders could, quite literally, impact lives.
And, there is more.
Class sizes in elementary, middle, and high school classes will become larger if there are fewer teachers. Time for one-on-one student support will decline. Teacher burnout will increase. And ultimately, student learning will suffer, which can have a continued negative impact on employee shortages in the future.
So what is my point? Investing in training and education for in-demand fields does not just have an economic impact. It can impact the quality of our lives and the lives of our children. It is critical that we all recognize the importance of training and education for these in-demand fields because we are all impacted by them. School personnel must educate parents/guardians and students about all career options, not just some or the ones we know personally.
Parents/guardians must be open to the reality that there are multiple pathways to successful, family-supporting careers. Businesses must partner with educational institutions to highlight the myriad of careers and advancement opportunities that exist. And we must invest financially in the facilities, staff, and equipment needed to provide the training.
So, what can you do? Ask your local school district to include career exploration in their curriculum. Contact your legislator and share your support of investing in education and training.
And let’s ask, “What happens if we truly invest in helping each student to explore as many pathways to success as possible?”
