Life After 18

🛠️ WE'RE TOLD THAT EVERY STUDENT NEEDS TO PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE.

So why have we removed so many of the classes that actually prepared students for real life?

For generations, shop class gave students something many classrooms can't: the chance to create something with their own hands. They learned how to measure, plan, solve problems, work safely, and take pride in building something from nothing. Those lessons didn't just produce carpenters. They produced confidence.

Not every student dreams of sitting behind a desk. Some dream of designing homes, restoring classic cars, building furniture, wiring houses, running construction companies, or becoming the next generation of skilled tradespeople. Those careers deserve just as much respect as any office job.

The skilled trades are facing shortages across the country, yet many schools have cut the very programs that first inspired students to pursue those careers. At the same time, we're asking students to make life-changing career decisions without ever letting them discover what they're naturally good at.

Education shouldn't be one-size-fits-all. A student who struggles in a traditional classroom might thrive in a workshop where learning is practical, creative, and hands-on. Every child deserves the opportunity to discover their strengths, not just be measured by standardized tests.

Bringing back shop class isn't about going backward. It's about giving students more pathways to success.

Would you support bringing shop class back to every public high school?

Employment 101. Please don’t ever do this. It will only ensure you will never get another job.

Public meltdowns over standard work shifts show how entitlement replaces resilience in modern work culture.

Someone recently asked me to sum up Life After 18 in one line. My friend Leslie beat me to it —

If you have LinkedIn, this article is worth reading.

Everything that you think you might like, you should try to do. Gather as many experiences as possible. Go and travel and learn. Go and start that business that you've always wanted. Hook up with… | Gary Vaynerchuk | 45 comments Everything that you think you might like, you should try to do. Gather as many experiences as possible. Go and travel and learn. Go and start that business that you've always wanted. Hook up with those teammates and start that band you've always wanted. This is the time to be massively risk-oriented...