The $50K Lie: Why Manufacturing Careers Beat College Debt
By Drew "The MFG" Crowe | Manufacturing Keynote Speaker & Workforce Development Expert
We've been sold a story. Go to college. Get a degree. Get a job. Pay off debt... eventually.
Meanwhile, 800,000 manufacturing jobs sit empty in America. Average salary? $65K. Required college debt? Zero.
As a manufacturing keynote speaker who's addressed everyone from Fortune 500 executives to White House officials, I've seen this disconnect firsthand. I'm not anti-education — I went to MIT. But I'm pro-honesty.
The Manufacturing Skills Gap Is a Messaging Problem
The truth is: We've created a system that funnels everyone toward one path while an entire industry begs for talent. We tell 17-year-olds to sign loans they don't understand for degrees that might not lead anywhere — while manufacturers can't find enough people to run CNC machines, operate robotics, or lead production lines.
The real scandal? We've convinced working-class families that their kids aren't successful unless they get a diploma. That skilled trades are a "fallback." That building things with your hands is somehow less valuable than building spreadsheets.
Your grandparents built the middle class on factory floors. Your grandkids could too — if we stop lying to them about what success looks like.
Manufacturing isn't just making products. It's making futures.
The question isn't whether there are opportunities. It's whether we're honest enough to tell young people about them.
Looking for a manufacturing keynote speaker for your next event? Book Drew Crowe to inspire your workforce and challenge conventional thinking about careers in manufacturing.
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Drew "The MFG" Crowe
Manufacturing Keynote Speaker | Forbes Featured | White House & Pentagon Speaker
www.drewcrowemfg.com
