It Looks Good On Paper

Today I saw a television commercial for yet another "earn your degree at home" company. Although I never really paid any attention (as most of us probably don't) to these "learn at your pace and your schedule" academic enrichment classes, today I did. Now I understand that home schooling techniques yield results that equal or surpass classroom studies ... but how can a person earn a degree in computer repair, heating and air conditioning mechanic, electrician, motorcycle repair, and especially diesel mechanic from the comfort of their own home? All of these skills require hands on learning ... do they mail you a diesel engine to dismantle and reassemble? In conjunction with all manuals and books, does the heating class package come with a torch, solder and boiler? And if so ... how will they know if you put it together correctly? And if you did ... then what ... there's now a boiler sitting in your living room! Just imagine what a great conversation piece a rebuilt diesel engine would make in your den! Besides, what employer really puts any merit to a trades degree earned from home? Such a sheepskin would more than likely only be useful in one particular "office" in the company.