manning,

regarding manufacturing, we are on the same page I think. Same goes for the USA. Our local community colleges don't even offer manufacturing curricula anymore. It's all medical, IT and arts & crafts

However, I have been to German and Swiss factories, and they are serious about preserving manufacturing in those countries. THey are very good at it, with state of the art equipment and a skilled work force. Technical education is part of a well-conceived goal of positioning their children for the future.