In Australia it is a complete joke.
You need to do a 4 or 5 year apprenticeship at virtually subsistence wages and realistically less.
Then they scratch their head at the lack of skilled trades... anyway, politics aside.
How does it work in the USA ?
I hear you can do a 1 or 2 year course and then be employed at a low level (like in most other professions).
Apologies if I have asked this before.