# What is "shop class" like now in High Schools? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 16, 2024, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910 "2024-03-16T13:18:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/1 "2024-03-16T13:18:06Z")
I went to High School in New York in the '80s. In the context of Total Solar Eclipses and looking for welding glass above the #12 range in the UK I found they come in letter grades and there was a chart showing the highest equivalent is #13 - and that’s for plasma cutting. Now I really understand why the plumbers asked me “What do you want _that_ for?” when I bought some #14 for my first TSE. My father was a machinist with whom I worked for many years so I kind of know my way around milling machines, lathes, radial arm & table saws and other stuff you do not want your fingers, hair or clothing to get caught in. In my shop class we had some of those things yet we had Oxyacetylene welding, Arc welding (the kind you need the hood and glass for yet alas no plasma welding) and forges that could at least melt aluminum to pour into a sand form (eagles being immensely popular). Of course we were instructed in safety and about ten students supervised by the shop teacher. Yet we were 14-18. Do kids still use this kind of stuff in shop class nowadays? Or just battery powered Dremel tools and files? I didn’t take auto shop but many of the same serious equipment was there so the question extends to that class too. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/2 "2024-03-16T13:33:53Z")
This varies by region and even high school. But locally, most of the traditional shop classes seem to be gone except in the Vocational Schools. We had Metal Shop (this included welding), Carpentry and Electronics. Not to mention there was a still a Home Economics. My kids’ High School had a cooking class & a class called Tech Ed & a series of Robotics classes. About the only class where the students would build something physical. They did have some art classes that included sculpture/ceramics. * * * This article covers a lot of your question I believe. It is saying that shop classes pretty much disappeared in the 90s and 00s and are now coming back. > **[The Resurgence of 'Shop Class' in American High Schools](https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/the-resurgence-of-shop-class-in-american-classrooms)** > > From the 1990s through the 2010s, most traditional “shop classes” disappeared from middle schools and high schools across the U.S. — one of the many issues that helped create today’s skilled labor shortage in metalworking and CNC machine shops.... * * * I’m flagging this for a possible move as it feels more like an IMHO discussion than questions with a factual answer. But I’m nit sure enough to just do so on my own. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/3 "2024-03-16T13:38:40Z")
Are there any shop classes left in high schools outside of vocational schools? I lived in NY in the 80s and a local high school shop teacher was a friend. He retired in the late 80s and the school cancelled the program and sold all the tools. I think computer labs replaced the school shops. ETA: Seeing the above is a great sign. It’s not that we need a new crop of carpenters and welders, but a well rounded education should include more than _book learnin’_. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/4 "2024-03-16T14:20:53Z")
There are no shop classes in my kid’s high school (consistently ranked in the top 200 in the country). There is a regional vo-tech school where kids generally not in college prep go. The Robotics team at the town high school have access to a fabrication facility off-campus built and maintained by a generous alumnus who has done very well indeed, financially speaking. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/5 "2024-03-16T14:24:47Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It’s not that we need a new crop of carpenters and welders, Actually, it seems to me that it IS that we need a new crop of carpenters, welders, auto-mechanics, electricians, plumbers, etc, etc, etc. The old ones are retiring and because of the myopic focus on “college is for everyone/college is required for every job” during the last couple of decades, we had/have a shortage of people entering the physical trades that actually build and fix stuff. The new resurgence in vocational training is a reaction to market forces. The jobs won’t make you rich, but they are solid middle-class and generally are pretty steady with decent wage-growth opportunities as you gain certifications/experience. They also have the advantage of being easily portable. If you’re an auto-mechanic, you can probably move almost anywhere and find a job fairly quickly. Of course, if you’re really good, you can actually make damn good money. I know a diesel mech here that has been well over $100k/yr for a number of years now, but it took him about 10 years to get there. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/6 "2024-03-16T14:25:53Z")
Aye, I realize that the range of years we’re talking about (I can’t imagine pre-1980’s shop class had access to any more perils), region and various litigious situations that there really cannot be a factual answer so IMHO is cool. The article doesn’t mention that the inherent danger & perils combined with litigation was the reason the hot/sharp/dangerous stuff I mentioned went away. CNC machines - in the summer when the door was open I’d look across from my dad’s machine shop to a CNC (then mainly called CAD/CAM) shop. A few guys “observing” the machines doing the work. Now I know there’s a lot of AutoCad programming and setup involved and my brother - clearly the most talented machinist went into that line of work - yet that article makes “shop” sound like a lot of theory and then watch the machine build your thingamajig. I know in the UK that if you’re going into trade/vocation then hands-on “shop class” is your day, humanities and history be damned for the A-level seekers. > [@What\_Exit](#): > > Not to mention there was a still a Home Economics Is that gone now too? Sharp sewing needles? Hot ovens? Alice B. Toklas brownies? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/7 "2024-03-16T14:44:45Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It’s not that we need a new crop of carpenters and welders We do, of course. Why wouldn’t we? The welders may be welding different stuff with different tools. The carpenters may also be using different tools. But the work hasn’t gone away. – or what @Zakalwe said. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/8 "2024-03-16T14:47:41Z")
I’ve wondered this myself. We had shop classes in 7th, 8th, & 9th grades - “hobby” shop (plastics, soldering metals, “leather”), wood shop, and metal shop. Imagine students as young as 12 being turned loose on soldering irons, jigsaws, sanders, drill presses, band saws, acetylene welding\*, and molten metal with molds\*. I still have a little bookshelf I made in wood shop 50+ years ago. (\*metal shop, which was 9th grade only) mmm ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/9 "2024-03-16T14:48:02Z")
Home Ec/cooking also varies by school but many have dropped it completely. Even in the 80s, a lot of schools had dropped it. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/10 "2024-03-16T14:57:54Z")
I volunteer at my temple’s “meals on wheels” program, and they don’t allow anyone under 18 because we use knives and ovens. They recently surveyed volunteers and asked if we didn’t like working with sharp things and hot things. I’m really curious what answers they got. That would not have occurred to me as a reason to volunteer or not volunteer… ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/11 "2024-03-16T15:02:43Z")
My son is graduating from the Anoka/Hennepin school school district this year (largest in Minnesota covers around Minneapolis) and they offered a lot of vocational courses. Welding, automotive, aviation, construction, etc. He’s going the engineering route in college but wanted some hands-on type stuff so took welding this past tri-mester. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/12 "2024-03-16T15:04:24Z")
I went to Catholic school in the late sixties. It was terrible. Substandard teachers teaching bare bones subjects. It was just like substandard Catholic elementary school with slightly harder versions of the same subjects. They were educating kids from blue collar families to become blue collar workers but no shop classes. I did a year in college but found that I was woefully unprepared for the curriculum. I left college for the trades and ended up as an electrician. Nothing in any of my high school classes prepared me for adult life. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/13 "2024-03-16T15:08:10Z")
There are still some skilled carpenters around. This video comes from a boat restoration project at Port Townsend, led by a young British boatbuilder and sailor. /[https://youtu.be/-9jVw0r8zGQ?t=58](https://youtu.be/-9jVw0r8zGQ?t=58) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/14 "2024-03-16T15:13:12Z")
I had a Woodshop class in 8th grade, I’m still using a table I made then. I picked up most of my woodworking though later in life working on an old wooden boat and then making toys for my kids. I had Metal Shop in 9th grade and while I barely used anything I learned, I did apply some of it to other things I’ve done. I finally had electronics in 10th grade and I’ve never stopped using most of those skills. Though I was also a Navy Electrician and then an HVAC mechanic for 3+ years after that before going into Programming. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/15 "2024-03-16T15:14:45Z")
At my school shop classes are handled by ROP (Regional Occupations Program). We still offer Auto and Wood Working/Cabinet-Making. The rest are all gone. We used to have a Turf Management program (killed by the new stadium, which has artificial turf) and a stellar FFA program (lost to campus expansion). When I was in high school I took Home Ec as opposed to Shop classes. Bachelor Living taught me stuff Mom didn’t, and Bachelor Foods make me a tolerable cook. I’ve never used advanced math or German. I totally support the idea of bringing back Tech Ed in all schools as a required area of instruction. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/16 "2024-03-16T15:21:29Z")
Yeah, I think around here we had a “Life Skills” class that took the place of home ec. Basic cooking, home finance, stuff like that. Meant to be roughly gender neutral. No idea if it’s still offered anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/17 "2024-03-16T15:24:14Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > There are still some skilled carpenters around That sounds so ominous. > [@bob\_2](#): > > young British boatbuilder and sailor. The form-fitting cherry counter tops and wire management are great craftmanship for a kitchen. And this guy is building a _boat_? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/18 "2024-03-16T15:24:45Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > > [@TriPolar](#): > > > > It’s not that we need a new crop of carpenters and welders, > > Actually, it seems to me that it IS that we need a new crop of carpenters, welders, auto-mechanics, electricians, plumbers, etc, etc, etc. I don’t disagree with you or @thorny_locust . I don’t think that’s the purpose of old fashioned high school shop classes. Dedicated vocational schools or more comprehensive high school programs should serve that purpose. Shop classes might provide an introduction for some students to decide on a pursuing a technical education. Everyone else still needs to know something of the industrial arts. We now have people relying sketchy videos for instructions on how basic home and auto repairs with a concentration on buying sponsored tools and introduction to first aid procedures. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/19 "2024-03-16T15:26:12Z")
Can’t answer what it’s like now. I took two shop classes though. ~1973 Junior High, 1976 High School. One woodworking, and one metal. Some things do stand out. In the welding metal shop I started my self on fire with sparks from an arc welder. Bottom of my pants. I just dunked my whole foot in the water used to cool metal down. Found a bag of weed on the floor, picked it up, and before I could say “Who’s is this, well, I stuck it in my sock” I can still weld, it isn’t pretty, but it works. Nothing quite so dramatic in wood working. Did some cool things though. Learned jigs and fixtures to make coat hangers. Was a good lesson. And actually we built a corner of a house scaled down to I donno, about 30%. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2024, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910/20 "2024-03-16T15:26:49Z")
I think most NJ schools now require a Financial Literacy class. This happened in the last decade. I’m not sure but think they are a 1/2 year classes. [I found a cite for it](https://www.thenationsreportcard.org/new-jersey#:~:text=In%20order%20to%20graduate%20from,Business%2C%20and%20Entrepreneurial%20Business%20Literacy.): > In order to graduate from high school, New Jersey students must complete 2.5 credits (equivalent to a half-year) in Financial, Economic Business, and Entrepreneurial Business Literacy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-shop-class-like-now-in-high-schools/998910.md?page=2)