> Almost every tradesperson knows someone who’s had at least one protracted absence due to a work injury, and many of us know someone who was permanently disabled or killed.

Construction and other labor also have the highest suicide rates among occupations. [1] [2]

> ... Rowe has something in common with most people selling this popular narrative: a college degree.

Yes indeed - those senators and governors promoting trades jobs and cutting higher education funding, do you think their kids join the trades or do they go to college?

The pitch for the trades is an abomination in America (the pitch, not the trades) - telling kids to stay in their socio-economic class and do jobs appropriate for it. Don't think of college, think of where you belong. So much for 'all are created equal' in the 'land of opportunity'.

> potential missteps. Social work majors on average earn much less than their college peers

That assumes that college is about income, when it's about far more - personal development which will aid your life and your roles in family, community, citizenship, and yes, career.

[1] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7250a2.htm

[2] https://mhstats.org/blog/suicide-statistics-by-profession/