LEG started as a few very small ideas to give back to the community, and promote two local businesses. During research and development, interest, positive feedback, and a high level of enthusiasm, LEG has blossomed into the program it is today.
As we continue to provide school districts with administrative requirements and fine-tune programmatic details, the LEG team continues to keep the bigger picture in mind.
In 2001, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act heightened the drive that every high school graduate should go to a 4-year college. The attitude towards a necessary college degree, even though extremely beneficial and enriching for some, dramatically changed life after high school for many graduates.
Some students leaving high school have begun feeling pressure to apply for and attend college, despite a true desire to go, or even necessary funds to do so. Student loan debt began increasing, leaving us with $1.41 trillion owed today.
The second trend since NCLB has unfortunately affected the trade skills industry. As students gravitated toward higher education degrees, interest in trade skills as a career began to dwindle. As technology advances, the general public views computer coding and programming more important than plumbing or manual labor. We are starting to see a very serious shortage of trade-skill workers.
Please note LEG by no means is suggesting that high school graduates should not go to college. Part of our work will ultimately help bring to light that there could be a very fulfilling and prosperous path as a trades worker, IF said graduate has other interests than college.
