[I want the USA back]

Apprenticeship worked very well in the past. OJT, and if you can’t hack it, you know it right away.

[Fiddlstix]

Yes! It has always worked very well. Back in my young years (1940's - early 1950's) there was good apprenticeship programs too. Some of my school chums were apprentice carpenters, mechanics, pipe fitters, etc. and went on to start their own businesses as time went by.
They earned more money in the long run than a lot of college grads of my acquaintance