Blue-Collar Aristocracy

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/45DhMjH Host Blaine Carver and author Brett Bonecutter discuss Brett’s article “Blue Collar Aristocracy,” challenging the “college for everyone” assumption in education planning and default 529 saving. Drawing from Brett’s experience raising eight boys and shifts advisors see in client questions, they focus on the economics of college: high costs, average student debt over $40,000, negative ROI for the first decade after graduation, and a 52% underemployment rate that can lead to wage penalties and “scarring.” They distinguish unskilled factory work from skilled trades requiring training and licensing, argue that many degrees function as white-collar trade school, and highlight a paradoxical surge in demand for electricians and other trades driven by energy needs and data center growth amid an aging workforce and millions of projected unfilled trade jobs. They encourage parents and grandparents to match pathways to each child and consider apprenticeships and junior college. 00:00 Welcome and Guests 00:16 Why This Article 02:27 College Planning Shift 04:26 Mike Rowe and Rust Belt 07:48 Blue Collar Stigma 11:33 Skilled Trades Defined 14:01 Launching Into Adulthood 16:13 Debt and Fit 18:05 Saving Beyond 529s 21:06 Underemployment and ROI 25:24 College Value and Liberal Arts 31:49 Apprenticeship and Demand 35:15 Trade Labor Shortage 37:13 Blue Collar Success Stories 40:17 Wrap Up and Next Episode Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com