In Britain this is partly true - you still often have to go to college but the fees are less than a degree course and young people (aged 16-19) can often get funding - *but* many employers are too lean to take on apprentices, apprentice wages are still low, employers often holds the final sign off of their qualifications to ransom and the work environment isn't that good (a work colleagues partner ended up quitting being a sparky to start his own business selling ornamental fishes and corals). This is the same throughout all the trades and automotive.

If you look at tradesmen and mechanics these days you see a lot of grey and bald heads and those who aren't originally from outside Britain are mostly in age 40s to 70s..