When you hear his voice. You probably know immediately who it is. You’ve heard him on shows like Deadliest Catch, American Chopper and you’ve probably now seen him on Dirty Jobs and a few commercials for Ford.
The voice and the main are Mike Rowe.
With so many shows in his repertoire, it’s no doubt that Mike Rowe works hard.
You can read more about Mike on Wikipedia and find out how old that hard work early on in life and now were instilled with him by his grand father and father.
I read a recent article about him testifying before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. He shared about how we’ve lost a vital part of who we are as Americans. We’ve forgotten about our interest in knowing how something was done and made, and instead focus on how we can just buy more things.
Reading the article struck a chord with me. There a many times where I’d love to get out from behind my computer and go outside and do something with my hands. Fix something, build something, plant something, harvest the efforts of my physical labor.
In his testimony, Mike suggests that as American’s we’ve elevated “higher education” to a fault and in so doing have given vocational skills a lower status of importance or value in our society.
I agree with Mike, I don’t think a college education is a requirement for everyone or should be seen as the only option for individuals. Vocational school, military service and the Peace Corps should all be seen as viable options for individuals to pursue.
In his belief of such endeavors, Mike has started his own foundation and effort called Mike Rowe Works Foundation and is helping with a new effort from The Discovery Channel called Discover Your Skills.