Economic Education and Trade Preparation in High Schools

Historical Evolution of School Purpose

High school students face critical decisions in the year leading to graduation, yet the gap between classroom learning and economic reality remains substantial. This paper examines whether schools today adequately prepare students for economic needs and workforce entry, particularly in skilled trades, and explores how prior learning assessment can bridge that divide.

The purpose of schooling has shifted dramatically over time. Historically, the primary aim of schools was not developing literacy, but socializing students to become willing supporters of dominant social and economic structures (Athabasca, 2009, p. 44). In the 1900s, schooling served to help students "gain basic reading, writing, and social skills" (Wotherspoon, 2009, p. 202). Survival was relevant through socializing by way of training and skills building. Learning was explicitly tied to practical needs: "learning was related to basic human needs and concerns" including "carpentry, cookery, and textile work" (Athabasca, 2009, p. 47).

Industrial schools exemplified this practical orientation, serving as "a preparation for manual labour, not for possible professional work" (Athabasca, 2009, p. 43). Fishing, farming, and mining were hands-on occupations that kept youth engaged and required little formal education to obtain (Wotherspoon, 2009, p. 202). However, the twentieth century witnessed a fundamental transformation. "Formal education increased through the twentieth century to become a major conduit for entry into the labour market" (Wotherspoon, 2009, p. 203). Today, a university degree is often required even for basic office positions—a credential inflation that disconnects educational requirements from actual job demands.

The Gap in Financial and Economic Literacy

Beyond the question of trades versus university, schools fail to address fundamental economic literacy. Preparing for general living outside of school is largely absent from high school curricula. According to Wotherspoon (2009), schooling encompasses "a set of arrangements that encompass personal development and moral and aesthetic capacities that are not necessarily governed by labour markets and workplaces" (p. 188). Yet high school does not prepare students to understand real economic needs or handle adult financial realities.

Topics such as stocks, social economics, taxes, bill payment, pay stub interpretation, and savings investment are conspicuously absent from high school curricula. Students graduate without practical knowledge of debt, mortgage rates, or personal finance—skills essential for independent living. Money management is not intuitive; these "common sense" issues require deliberate instruction. Financial literacy should be emphasized before graduation to help students make informed decisions about borrowing, spending, and planning.

Young adults must make adult decisions immediately after high school. Learning in high school focuses on skills and credentials for university or trades, but "there are barriers to the extent to which schooling can and should be the most effective institution for labour market preparation" (Wotherspoon, 2009, p. 189). Many students are unaware that an undergraduate degree requires specialization in a specific field and often necessitates further education. Others work for a time, then return to school to upgrade credentials (Wotherspoon, 2009, p. 206). Student loans compound the problem—repayment begins regardless of job status, forcing graduates to settle for positions unrelated to their desired careers simply to survive and meet obligations. This financial pressure remains unaddressed in high school curricula.

Trades, Apprenticeships, and Early Workforce Entry

Students who choose trades programs typically do so because they value hands-on, practical training. According to Athabasca University (2009), "education needed to be based on experience, which is the interaction of the person with the environment," practiced through experimental study (p. 47). Trades offer concrete advantages: career entry occurs earlier than with a university degree, costs are significantly lower than undergraduate and graduate programs, and employment prospects are often more immediate.

Regardless of pathway chosen, unemployment remains a concern. As Wotherspoon notes, "regardless of their levels of educational attainment, the pressing question of what kinds of job options they should pursue is becoming increasingly uncertain" (2009, p. 221). The choice between trades and university is not, in itself, a complete solution.

Some high schools have implemented apprenticeship programs to facilitate this transition. Apprenticeship programs allow students to explore careers and develop workplace competencies while still enrolled in school, helping "facilitate the transitions of young people from school to work" (Taylor & Watt-Malcolm, 2008, p. 217). In these programs, students pursue areas of genuine interest rather than paths deemed necessary by others. According to Athabasca University (2009), "education is to be made relevant to the everyday concerns of students" (p. 47). Trades people are needed as much as accountants or doctors; apprenticeships create space for students to discover and develop their aptitudes.

However, barriers persist. Fewer parents recommend trades, and fewer students desire to pursue them (Taylor & Watt-Malcolm, 2008, p. 221). Despite this resistance, credentials, workplace skills, knowledge, discipline, and social competencies—all gained through education in given areas—contribute to labor force participation in indirect but meaningful ways (Wotherspoon, 2009, p. 189). Regardless of whether a student chooses university or trades, "the true purpose of education is to serve the economic needs of society" (Athabasca University, 2009, p. 50)—yet students are rarely taught to understand this role.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

Prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) schemes have become increasingly common in Canada and worldwide (Athabasca University, 2009, p. 58). PLAR is a type of assessment used to evaluate skills and knowledge learned outside structured, formal learning environments such as universities (Government of Alberta, 2014). The principle underlying PLAR is "the recognition of non-course learning gained experientially, perhaps as a consequence of family, volunteer, or workplace activities or private self-guided study" (Athabasca University, 2009, p. 58). All learned knowledge deserves recognition regardless of how it is attained. As one source states, "PLAR is what you value, what you know and what you can do" (McLaren, 2008).

For adult learners or individuals who did not pursue secondary education, PLAR offers the ability to compete with job requirements using skills and knowledge gained outside formal learning environments. Participation in PLAR allows individuals to identify with their knowledge, build confidence, and set new goals and career prospects (McLaren, 2008). Assessment methods such as interviews and product assessments (for example, demonstrating proficiency using software) allow participants to display knowledge without having completed formal courses, but based on non-formal learning or work and life experience (Government of Alberta, 2014).

The problem is stark: an individual could possess passion, basic knowledge, and genuine ability to work as a carpenter, teacher, or mechanic, but without credentials proving they are "qualified," they cannot pursue these careers. According to Athabasca University (2009), this situation reflects "privileged opportunities being masked by educational credentials" (p. 49). If worker performance is equal between those with accredited degrees and those without, credentials should not be as critical for employment (Athabasca University, 2009, p. 57).

By implementing PLAR, organizations can identify attributes that contribute to success in a position, "and then consider how to assess those for existing workers and develop workplace learning and courses to achieve the desired outcomes for those who did not have them" (Athabasca University, p. 57). A worker can become a manager without formal education in management, advancing based on skill level and experience. Conversely, someone with a four-year management degree may never succeed as a manager if they rely rigidly on textbook knowledge rather than using experience as their primary learning tool.

Benefits of PLAR implementation include the notion that "it will provide workers with recognition of their skills as well as support for entering into further educational opportunities" (Bratton et al., 2004, p. 121). Acknowledging learning that occurs outside the classroom avoids repeated education and reduces costs associated with duplicate training courses. PLAR is especially valuable for transfer credits between universities or within degree programs, allowing students to apply previously earned credits to different degrees without repeating content or paying tuition a second time (Athabasca University, 2009, p. 58).