College is not the only path to the American dream, Kendall and Sheila Qualls say on this week’s episode of Fully Charged.
They discuss how vocational education is often overlooked as an option post-high school.
“For decades, we’ve moved vocational education in the shadows of academic options,” Mr. Qualls said.
“We force kids and parents into thinking college is the only way to go when they have many other options,” Mrs. Qualls said. “We don’t need another group of graduates with degrees in urban or gender studies.”
Mr. Qualls highlighted a program called BuildUp, which allows high school students to learn the trades by renovating dilapidated houses.
“Once they graduate from high school, they are eligible to purchase the homes they’ve been working on for the previous two to three years,” he said.
“There are many options to the American dream,” Mrs. Qualls said. “The trades are just another option.”
TakeCharge is a nonprofit that promotes the idea that the promise of America works for anyone, regardless of race or social standing. It also focuses on restoring the two-parent black family.
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