Page 23 - EdViewptsSpring2020

students threw their caps at graduation Jobs,’ Mike Rowe promotes the work vocational training. In fact, in October
and entered the part-time workforce. of skilled tradespeople Mike shined the of 2018, the New Jersey School
To me, these students had not chosen light on the formation of the skills gap Boards Association released their
success. I had lost them along the and gave me one of the best pieces of final report entitled “A Task Force on
way. For every “success” story, I had career counseling advice I have ever Educational Opportunities for the Non-
numerous “failures.” heard. Mike said that we blindly tell College Bound Learner.” Some of the
Meanwhile, all throughout the United people to follow their passion, without recommendations from the task force
States, a gap was widening the labor ever knowing what their passion truly compel school districts to provide
market. Quite simply, the supply for is. He went on to say that just because opportunities for students to take part
skilled trade workers could not keep you are passionate about something in Career and Technical Education
up with the national demand. This is does not mean you will be good at it. programs, increase the number of
known as the skills gap. According to Finally, Mike makes the point of stating available seats in county vocational
the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, that following your “passion” may cause schools, and dispel myths that skilled
skilled trade jobs account for one-third people to miss out on opportunities, and trade pathways are inferior.
of all new jobs created in the United that perhaps we should be telling people As a member of the Monmouth County
States through 2022. In fact, for every to “NOT follow their passion, but take it Guidance Directors Association, we
10 jobs in the United States, 1 re- with them.” I immediately set up a tour have taken the recommendations of the
quires a Masters or advanced degree, of a local automotive training school for task force and created the Monmouth
2 require a bachelor's degree, and 7 a group of my students and my entire County Trade and Jobs Fair. Every
require technical training industry cre- approach to school counseling changed. school year the MCGDA hosts two col-
dential (Coyle 2019). According to the Over the last five years, I have made it lege fairs open to students and families
Good Jobs Project out of Georgetown my point to confront my biases about in the county. The implementation of
University, there are over 30 million skilled trades and vocational education. the Trade and Jobs Fair is our orga-
U.S. jobs that do not require a college In doing so, it was clear that the public nization’s attempt to promote skilled
degree and that earn over $55,000. relations for this pathway was nowhere trades and post-secondary training to
Careers such as automotive techni- near as sophisticated as that of the all students and families. School coun-
cians, plumbers, pipefitters, electri- four-year college. In fact, when I began selors are uniquely placed in between
cians, and ironworkers are growing at working with families, I was met with a student’s past, present, and future. It
a rate faster than the national average, great resistance from parents who did is necessary that our school counselors
yet there are not enough qualified not want to change the dialogue about take time to reflect on their practice
people to fill them. As a school coun- their child’s future. I found myself having and any potential biases they may hold
selor, I had inadvertently marginalized, to challenge preconceived notions held about skilled trades and career focused
poorly promoted, and treated skilled or by parents, faculty, and administration. pathways. It is essential that we as an
vocational trades as a “back-up plan.” “She’s a college kid.” “He’s not a great educational community promote and
My standard of “success” contributed student, can we get him to apply to provide opportunities for students to be
to the creation of the skills gap by voc?” “I want her to have a better life exposed to all post-secondary options.
creating an interest gap. than me.” I think I am now, finally, one step closer
I had a stake-in-the-ground moment The good news is that the narrative to understanding what Dr. Freeman
while watching a short YouTube video is starting to shift in favor of equally meant by “success.”
created by Mike Rowe, host of the promoting career and technical
television show ‘Dirty Jobs.’ On ‘Dirty education and post-secondary

References:
The 1, 2, 7 Rule Dr. Steven Coyle obtained from https://www.imagine-america.org/1-2-7-rule/ February, 2019.
The Final Report: Task Force: Educational Opportunities for Non-College Bound Learners obtained from https://www.
njsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Full-Report-sept21.pdf, October 2018.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook; Bureau of Labor and Statistics

About the Author

Joe Palumbo has served in public education for the last 10 years. Joe began his career as a school
counselor for the Long Branch Public School District. In that time, Joe focused his efforts on working
with first generation college students and students pursuing alternatives to college. For the last three
years, Joe has served as the Director of School Counseling in the Keyport Public School District. He is
a member of the Monmouth County Guidance Directors Association and has presented at conferences
locally and nationally for the New Jersey School Counselors Association, the New Jersey Association for
College Admissions Counselors, and the National Association for College Admissions Counselors.

Educational Viewpoints -21- Spring 2020