With the rise of AI, many are turning their heads back to vocational paths in search of stability. Coincidentally, this past summer in the USA, President Trump mentioned investing more money into American trade schools. Similarly, there is a worldwide rise in interest in vocational schools. For example, Australia recorded a significant increase in enrollment from 2020 to 2023. From a historical perspective, this is very interesting. For the first time, we are actually close to redeeming two classical Western values. These are familial vocations and a closer tie to a classical economic simplicity.
The Erosion of Family Vocations
Let’s start with vocations. It was more common, some centuries ago, when families moved local economies ahead. The basic economic module was the household. The father pursued a profession that he taught and passed down to his sons and so on. The industrial revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries radically affected this model. Additionally, the rise of an overemphasis on college degrees pushed the generations that followed further into the academic fields.
First, the Industrial Revolution ended the concept of a single family dedicating itself to a trade. Families no longer perfected a trade and passed it down through the generations. People became individualized, slowly reaching the hyper-individualized society we see today. People are no longer households; they are cogs in the machines of production. As such, perfecting individual trades generationally has been reduced to the fringes of society.
Second, colleges and universities became the key pursuit of those who wished to call themselves “educated”. Thus, for many years, people without university degrees were considered “uneducated.” This emphasis on higher education came at a high cost to household culture. Fortunately, this trend began to slow down at the beginning of the 1990s. The rise of technology allowed teachers to better cater to student interests and goals. Since then, trade schools have seen a sharp rise in enrollment from 2020 to 2023.
This rise in enrollment (4.9%) demonstrates that change is not an unwelcome feeling to the public. People are ready to reject some of the ideas that have permeated our society over the last few centuries. Ideas that we have embraced without a second thought. But as the saying goes, better late than never.
Economics Refocused
Finally, let’s take a look at the simple economic model and why we need trades and vocations to bring it back.
The simple economic model rests on two major foundations: households and firms. Economic studies soon go beyond the broad and basic explanations. They explore more complex interactions than just those between households and firms. Nonetheless, at its core, it emphasizes the household’s economics as a priority in the market process. Many have viewed this as a secondary issue during the past few decades. By focusing future generations on trades and vocations, we prioritize the household and bring it to its rightful place in the marketplace.
Call to Action
I believe that the changes we have seen over the last few years are a positive development. Unfortunately, they are falling short. Classical education triumphs best when the next generation has more to look up to than just academic scholarship in universities. We must continue pushing the West toward vocational work. This effort should be paired with investment in Classical education. Otherwise, change will stagnate and ultimately, deflate. Parents, when you see a trade expo in your local school district or department, think about sending your kids there. It could be a valuable experience for them. Teachers, please do not overemphasize academics over vocations. Our kids deserve better.
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Teach Garcia 
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