and so we have a scarcity of skilled blue collar people. In this
area, you can wait up to 6 months for stump grinding, asphalt paving,
spot welding, masonry repair, painting, etc ...

... Voc. Tech used to be a mainstream part of our education
system but it's been slashed in recent years.

ALL education in the USA has been slashed.
Despite my being in the computer/engineering field and having been
in the "academic" tract in high school, I wholeheartedly support diversity in education.
I wanted to take more shop classes but the academic schedule conflicted with that.
A friend told me how his high school principal DESTROYED many shop areas
such as the metal foundry, all to clear space for more computers.
But the funding dried up so there's plenty of nothing now.
I'm embarassed at the fraud being perpertated on schools in the name of
"computer education": overpriced systems, sub-standard software,
maintenance contracts, etc. but is anyone really learning anything?

I wish I could see a reversal of this trend.