Chinese-American parents often spare no expense in sending their children to cram schools in order to get them into elite universities. However, attorney Longzhu Liu from Southern California reminds us that each child has different talents, and attending vocational schools to learn occupational skills can also lead to a dignified life in the mainstream society.
On June 19 (Friday), Liu Longzhu, accompanied by State Assemblyman Philip Chen, visited the UA Local 250 headquarters skilled training center in Gardena, Los Angeles County. He marveled at the vocational school being the “cradle of blue-collar workers” and donated $5,000 to the school’s “Union Education Fund.”
UA Local 250 advocates for “working while studying, studying while working.” Their Apprenticeship Projects, which offer free tuition, mainly focus on two flagship training programs – Steamfitter and Industrial Pipefitter, as well as Air Conditioning Refrigeration. At the training site, sparks fly, machines roar, and students are engaged in pipe repairs, precision welding, and complex assembly of air conditioning and refrigeration systems. Despite the intense working environment under the scorching sun, every student is highly focused.
UA Local 250 holds significant influence in the industrial, construction, and residential sectors in Southern California. As a strong support for the pipeline industry labor force, the organization has great bargaining power within the industry. Apprentices start earning high wages from day one (around $23.35 per hour), and upon graduation, Journeymen easily surpass the salaries of typical college graduates, earning up to $51.88 per hour. Many apprentices graduate to become bosses within three to five years. Graduates from here are also highly sought-after technical talents by major corporations.
Liu Longzhu stated that vocational schools like UA Local 250 have cultivated a large number of outstanding talents, supporting the foundation of civil infrastructure, deserving respect and support from the entire society. Chinese-American parents often aspire for their children to attend prestigious universities, aiming for white-collar office jobs, doctors, or lawyers. However, the overly singular definition of success places heavy psychological pressure on many children and creates a disconnect between the Chinese community and grassroots society, as well as mainstream labor unions.
He believes that since not every child can attend Ivy League schools and everyone has different talents, only by teaching according to their abilities can children truly achieve happiness.
“Vocational schools can also help Asian-American children establish themselves in America and live a high-paying and dignified life,” said Liu Longzhu. He also emphasized, “To make California and America great again, we cannot ignore the silent dedication of grassroots blue-collar workers.” ◇