Not everyone can get into a career where their is a "lot of demand".
Do we ignore their interests? Do we feel a need to "punish" them with malignant neglect?
No, but we can't create jobs that people love. I wish I loved my job. I hate going to work every morning, but I have to keep a roof over my head so I do it.
...e.
Doesn't mean we can't consider policy to make them better, or at least pay better.
I don't understand. What policy can do that?
Better Trade Policy to bring manufacturing jobs back and immigration policies to reduce the labor pool.
You have a situation where employers have to worry more about finding and keeping employees and the jobs and wages will improve.
That may work in some sectors, but others, not.
Many years ago when I was repairing medical equipment, my company wanted me to enroll in electronics school, so I did.
Working full time, going to school three nights a week, and supporting my girlfriends kids wore me down fast, so after a few months,I asked my teacher what kind of money I would be able to make if I got my FCC license which was one year of schooling? He told me 16K. Again, I asked what kind of money I would be able to make if I stuck it out two years for the Associates Degree? He told me 18K. Hell, I was making more than that on the job I was doing, so I quit the school.
Electronics is very hard. It's mostly math. But the problem was that everybody was interested in electronics, so the jobs didn't pay anything even if you could find one. One of the top ten lowest paying professions is cosmetology. Why? Because it's a dream job for many women. That too takes a lot of schooling and messing around with the state to get licensed.