> Although this was almost two decades ago, that was not the advice we were given at my school. It was more along the lines of "what do you want to do? there are trade schools, community colleges, and state colleges depending on what motivates you".

So, uhhh... It sounds like you got exactly the experience you're claiming you didn't get, but are blind to the alternative: That more schooling (even a trade school) wasn't the only option.