All men and women should learn a trade, even if they go to college and get the education needed to enter certain professions.
Why it is important for a man to learn a trade if he studies to learn a profession? Because life isn’t static for many people. You start out in one job, switch to something different, then maybe something else as you grow older. Consider the apostle Paul who learned tent making as well as studying under the Law teacher Gamaliel, then later used that skill to support himself on his preaching trips.
Education Comes In Many Forms
A large number of folks seem to think that all students must get a college education despite the cost and the fact that the student might not be suited for any of the professions. Many trade skills can be used to make your life better, so even if you do end up in a profession such as doctor or lawyer or teacher, you can use the trade skill to enrich your life. For example, carpentry can be used to remodel your own home.
Youngsters who work at a job to put themselves through school often find themselves liking that work better than what they got an education to do. They become apprentices learning masonry, plumbing, pipefitting, auto repair, crab fishing, farming, gardening, electrical skills…and the list is endless.
One of my sons graduated with an English major. He discovered that it was very helpful when he entered law enforcement. When he left that, he tried other jobs, then formed a company and remodeled houses, building the house I live in. He had learned the builder’s trade working as a carpenter to get money to go to college. Now he’s back using his English skill, legal/officer skills, and construction skills in a different occupation that requires all of them.
My other son became a long-distance truck driver after entering the hospitality industry and not liking it. My husband taught drivers’ education, so had taught all the kids to drive stick-shifts.
Life Skills
Some of these skills, such as computer use, cooking, sewing and balancing a checkbook are called life skills. Even such a basic skill as learning how to tie different knots can be neglected when kids use Velcro fasteners. With You tube and online academies, you can learn just about anything, so help your children get a diverse education.
In one of my novels, Any Lucky Dog Can Find a Missing Child, the heroine continues her father’s mission of rescuing struggling farm families, helping them keep their farms or buying them outright and selling them to young married couples who want to become farmers. She knows that small family farms feed our nation, but as they are lost to giant corporate farms, less and less diversity in crops are grown. Youth who want to become farmers need to be encouraged to do so, so she does this in addition to helping the county sheriff solve a murder.
A USA Today bestselling author, Nancy Radke grew up on a wheat and cattle ranch in SE Washinton State. She attended a one-room country school through the eighth grade. She learned to ride bareback at age 3 (Really! It was a common practice.) and when she got off or fell off, she would pull her horse’s nose to the ground, get on behind its ears, and the horse would lift its head so she could scoot down onto its back. Nancy spent most of her childhood exploring the Blue Mountain trails that bordered the ranchlands. She and a friend once took a trail that turned out to be a two day trip. They always rode with matches and pocket knives, so made camp and returned the next day. These long rides worried her parents, but provided plenty of time to make up stories. Her first novel was set in the Blues, and is entitled APPALOOSA BLUES. TURNAGAIN LOVE was the first one published. It rated a four star review from Affaire de Coeur. Scribes World said “Turnagain Love has some fascinating twists and turns, unexpected complications, and charming scenes.” It is light and humorous. Nancy currently has over 30 books written, both modern and western. All her stories are sweet and wholesome.
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