Beyond the Four-Year Degree: Why Dignity-Filled Trades and Workforce Readiness Belong at the Center of Our Schools
Like a lot of Waynesboro Public Schools parents, some of the most honest conversations my wife Amy and I have with our kids happen in two places: in the car between activities and around our kitchen table.
Lately, those conversations have taken on a mature, urgent tone. My older son is in eighth grade. When he and his classmates talk about high school and look toward the future, they aren’t just wondering what electives they will take. In a world moving at lightspeed, they are asking raw, practical questions: What jobs will actually exist when we graduate? What skills can’t be automated or replaced by artificial intelligence?
Over dinner recently, my son answered his own question with a level of clarity that stopped me in my tracks:
"Dad, if I learn a skilled trade like welding or metalworks, I have job security anywhere in the country. People will always need skilled trades."
That wasn't abstract theory to him. It started with hands-on exploration through Scouting America, testing out practical skills and earning merit badges that introduced him to real tools, safety protocols, and craftsmanship. That spark grew into weekend projects and intensive classes together at the Virginia Institute of Blacksmithing right here in Waynesboro. Seeing him strike hot iron, read technical specifications, and take genuine pride in fabricating something durable changed his whole perspective.
His plan is grounded, realistic, and ambitious: earn certified, high-demand industry credentials while still in high school through our regional Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs, then pair that with a two-year business management degree so he can run his own shop one day.
As a father, hearing that level of practical foresight makes me proud.
And as a candidate running for Waynesboro School Board in Ward D, it reinforces a core truth that our division cannot afford to overlook:
Career and Technical Education cannot be treated as a second-tier elective. Dignity-filled, high-wage trades must be recognized as a foundational pillar of public education in Waynesboro.
The False Choice in Public Education: Literacy vs. Workforce Readiness
For decades, the prevailing narrative pushed a single track: graduate high school, take on tens of thousands of dollars in student debt, and earn a four-year university degree. For some students, that remains the right path. But treating a bachelor's degree as the only definition of success shortchanges our young people and starves our local economy.
At the same time, some argue that schools must focus strictly on basic reading and math before ever considering vocational instruction. But real educators know that literacy and applied skills reinforce each other.
I began my career in education as a high school English teacher. I spent years in the classroom teaching reading comprehension, sentence mechanics, and analytical writing. I know firsthand that foundational literacy is non-negotiable. But real learning does not happen in a vacuum:
When a student fabricates steel or wires a circuit, geometry and algebra cease to be abstract formulas on a dry-erase board—they become precision measurements.
Literacy isn't just scoring points on an SOL test; it is the vital ability to interpret technical blueprints, read safety manuals, and negotiate supplier contracts.
Workforce development doesn't detract from strong fundamentals; it gives them real-world purpose.
Building on What Works: Expanding Waynesboro's Career Pipelines
Our current School Board deserves credit for prioritizing our regional partnership with the Valley Career & Technical Center (VCTC). Having attended board meetings regularly for over a year, I have heard the board’s ongoing focus on preserving and valuing this resource. That collaborative foundation is essential.
Moving forward, our challenge is to build upon that foundation so every Waynesboro student has an unobstructed runway from middle school curiosity to career independence:
1. Expanding Seat Access & Transit for VCTC
We must work proactively with regional partners to eliminate scheduling and transportation hurdles, ensuring every student seeking trade instruction can access VCTC without sacrificing required academic courses.
2. Graduating with High-Demand Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRCs)
Every high school graduate should have the opportunity to leave our division with state-certified industry credentials that qualify them to step directly into high-wage local apprenticeships, manufacturing careers, or technical trades across the Shenandoah Valley.
3. Strengthening Dual-Enrollment Pathways with Blue Ridge Community College
We need seamless, affordable pathways partnering with institutions like Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) that combine hands-on trade skills with foundational business management, accounting, and entrepreneurship coursework.
4. Cultivating Local Apprenticeships & Mentorships
We should expand direct relationships with Waynesboro contractors, fabricators, and businesses to build structured, paid work-based learning experiences for high school juniors and seniors.
Leadership That Connects Classrooms to Careers
Our eighth graders shouldn't have to wait until graduation night to discover what they are good at or how they will earn a living in an automated economy. They are having those tough, honest conversations around their dinner tables tonight.
Moving Waynesboro Public Schools forward means electing leadership that understands instructional design, values the dignity of skilled labor, and is ready on Day 1 to build bridges between our classrooms and the Shenandoah Valley workforce.
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