text: To be fair, we have a school system that sneers at those who don't want to head straight to college.  Vocational classes have dwindled, & those interested in the trades have a difficult time finding information & training available, along with the stigma of not wanting to move into a dorm and run up college loans.  So those who might have been excellent candidates to become the craftsmen & laborers you need struggle through high school & either pursues a college degree they don't want, or go to work in low paying service industry jobs.  This problem you speak of has been building for at least a couple of decades, & was masked by lax immigration enforcement, which provided labor but allowed it to drive down wages, making the jobs less attractive.  A new law to require schools to explain options in the trades and the military alongside the college recruiters might help, if schools take it seriously, and the training/apprenticeship options are expanded.