> as I believe that skilled jobs help the worker lead a happier, more fulfilling life, as well as helping the people who benefit from the work product

I can't really speak to the second assertion here, but I wanted to chime in from the other side of the first.

I'm a mid level developer (late twenties) and if I could find a job that was 'routine' that paid what I make now, and kept me from having to deal with the public, I would take it in a heartbeat. Programming is interesting, sure, but the days that it's an absolute grind are awful. I'd gladly take a job that would let me stay out of the way of the people who are very much passionate about our shared profession.

Second. Time flexibility and total compensation are the only things that make software development more appealing to me than any number of low-skill jobs. They're biggies, but the job itself is energy-draining and inherently unhealthy (yes you can compensate with exercise, but that's the point—you have to) at best. I'd take one of those sorts of jobs where you can read/write/study during copious down time, or a semi-creative job with a fair amount of gross motor skill work (certain construction and landscaping roles, for example) over it any day, if the only concern were the work itself.

Seriously. If I could find somebody who would pay me what I make now to dig ditches or cut trees, I'd be gone so fast your head would spin.

Mankind was not made to sit in asinine status meetings and conduct email wars day in and day out.