THE QATSPY® From the Kerosene Cowboy Journal Perception
By: Charles W. Boatright
VOTECH Colleges Offering The American Dream– 2020 and again in 2024 exposes the failures of our Educational System of not Preparing Students. In 2020 COVID and 2024 allowed us to see how ill prepared students were being prepared for life.
COVID allowed parents to see how woke our National educational system has become in the curriculum that they use that doesn’t educate, but instead to indoctrinate our kids into fascism/socialism. Then during the first part of 2024 we saw where elite Ivy League Colleges were just an extension of WOKE-ISM!
A lot of Americans were totally shocked by what they witnessed with these students knowing little to nothing of the facts surrounding the October 07th, 2023 massacre led by Hamas that we haven’t seen since the Holocaust.
Students that rioted, damaged, broke into, and in some cases occupied campus facilities indicated to what extent these students were indoctrinated into woke-ism that had no idea of what they were supporting or protesting that couldn’t assimilate facts and differentiate these from fiction.
What was more shocking was the tolerance by college administrators shown toward these rioters and the antisemitism that wasn’t called out and addressed by administration or our government leaders on the Democratic side of the isle. These administrators are paid beyond their competence level. Especially the president of Columbia who is totally incompetent.
Lack of Skills and Experience
These students had little to no skills to prepare them for the high tech careers that are in high demand, but had little to no education or experience for these type jobs, as well. These students had very little skills to fill these high skilled jobs that college didn’t prepare them for nor have a hard work ethic to do these jobs. Liberal Arts Degree will leave these students unprepared for the technology age that we are in NOW!
More and more employers are eliminating the requirements for a college degree in jobs and are opting for experience and a hard work ethic instead. These companies are even offering trading to employees that have a hard work ethic and experience. The worst mistake a student and an applicant can make is to confuse the two E’s; that is to equate Education with Experience. It is like having an expensive tool and not knowing how to use it. Experience will win out each and every time, Guys.
The Advantage of a VOTECH Experience
Mike Rowe in an interview on FOX stated that for every 5 highly skilled trade person leaving the workforce, there is only two to replace them! That means we are losing 60% of our skilled trade workers.
Highly technical VOTECH Skills has several advantages that college education and degrees doesn’t have-
ONE: Lower tuition cost for a fraction of the cost of a college degree, especially a Liberal Arts Degrees. Even employers will either reimburse you for your educational cost or pay for your VOTECH education out right.
TWO– Most college curriculum don’t prepare you for high tech careers; where VOTECH curriculum are a hands-on high skill trade.
THREE: Reduce 4- years to only 18-24 months to start earning above hourly wages.
FOUR: VOTECH students are earning higher wages than college students right out of school with the ability to start their own business. We found that some degrees offer by colleges are just an extension of high school.
Supplement Your College Degree with a Skilled Trade
There are some degrees that require college degrees (e.g., Medicine, Engineering, Law, and etc.). But even those fields could drop electives that only prolong the students’ cost and time to earn their degree.
I have an Engineering degree where I had a very satisfying career that span over 36- years in design, construction, research, and maintenance. But I needed a second career for when I retired to transition into retirement. So I went to a VOTECH College for welding. I just thought that I had a satisfying career in engineering, until I started welding that surpassed the satisfaction that I had in the field of Engineering by 15 fold.
I never had more satisfaction than what I have had in my welding shop burning rods, smelling flux, and enjoying heavy metal. I do sometimes like GUN-N-ROSES on occasions. I even designed a T-Shirt that states as much, shown above. There is no comparison to engineering that I benefited from and earned a great living for what I’m doing now in my welding shop. Welding has a small start up cost, less than $3,000.00. That beats $250,000.00 in student loans.
With the advancements they have made in the welding equipment, that includes plasma cutters, that are controlled by computers, one can make up for the lack of experience. There are, however, experienced welders that are more than willing to help you in your developmental process.
What got me started in welding was my teen years working in my grandfather’s farm and catering business, 6- days a week. To proficiently smoke and grill, you have to have a custom made grill/smoker. If you notice pit masters, they have custom built grill/smokers that they use, most are towed. This is one part of the equation that wins them first place prizes and blue ribbons in national wide competitions is their grill/smokers.
You can’t have a major holiday or tailgate without grilled, smoked, or bar-b-Que meats to serve. Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day are celebrated with outdoor grilling or smoking.
I have shopped for grills/smokers for years, but couldn’t find one that I liked that could stand up to competition and also deliver results I needed. I had fried catfish where I have corner that in catering for airshows for years feeding over 400 people. But I didn’t have the grill/smoker that I needed to go along with my sauce/marinade for burgers, steaks, and chicken.
I used my engineering background to design and draw shop drawings for my grill/smoker based on what my grandfather used for decades. Below is my grill/smoker that I designed and welded up that is heavy duty. I tried it out this weekend and the grill/smoker performed as my grandfather’s grill/smoker did and it didn’t disappoint.
I even personalized my with my military service insignia and our Nation Flag that a lot of my friends gave their last full measure for serving for our Freedoms and Liberties we enjoy. Please contact me if you’re interested in a heavy duty custom built grill/smoker or T-Shirt. For the grill the key word is HEAVY DUTY. My grill measures 16- inches in diameter x 30- inches long and weighs in at 115 Lbs.
