I also am wondering when this was.. I graduated late 90s. I started teaching early 2000's never has it been in my career that the trades were downplayed. Granted my a chick so it was not really normal for girls to go to trade school but it was and option.

The only ridiculous thing that was told to me was not to worry about how to pay for school. And just take out a crap ton of loans, which 20 years later I am still paying back.