The high school I went to still teaches wood/metal shop, FAA and has programs to spend your sophomore-senior year learning trade (off site). The school system in the city I currently live in has a program for high school kids to graduate with an A&P. They have lots of other programs such as automotive repair, carpentry, business, entrepreneurship, etc... The programs are there, it's just whether kids are willing to capitalize on such opportunities. I'm sure some of it is being unsure of what they want to do in life, but I'm betting a lot of it is the stigma of "who" goes to such programs.