[good analysis from parent]
Western Civilization was built upon an education system that was intended to prepare students for life. They were instructed in the Arts and Sciences (such as they were then) and the skills to succeed in their environment. Philosophy and analytic thinking were prized.
It may be the Industrial Age that brought about our current thinking about education. Early on, there was still emphasis upon languages, history, philosophy; but more and more education came to be about training people to feed industrial needs.
Now there is little pretense of preparing a generation to appreciate art, language, culture... Colleges require a smattering of these but it's clearly about job preparation.
The parent article says "I think the industry needs some sort of advanced trade schools..." and that is exactly right. High school students can choose a 'career college' and learn programming, medicine or structural engineering etc, or they can choose a 'liberal college' that teaches them about the world in which they will live- Culture, history, all the arts... These people will become the thoughtful advisers to corporations and government, teachers of younger people, and guides to the people in their own community who lack a broad education. Their motto will be