We do. Well where I grew up we did and still do. VoTech is a common program (or school) in high schools where I grew up. It's also very unionized so it's unlikely you won't run into a trade worker. I was born from a long line of bakers. Baking can't be what is used to be, I'm the first to go to college and break the cycle. I was the first in the family. Now that I mention it, a whole side of my family graduated a very strict and very good trade school. They're basically guaranteed jobs because the network is so large of graduates from the school in good positions.
Discussion
So it does exist in small pockets. I imagine if people who live in mining towns for example, there would be programs, apprenticeships to continue the line of capable trade workers. Why does it seem like it's become a long and forgotten path.
Probably yeah. I haven't looked into it too much because everyone I know talked about some tech program at their school. People I know from many other states. Around where I grew up is a lot of industry. Used to be bigger, but it's still here. Lots of big refineries. Mostly oil and natural gas processing, among other things. Big cities always keep the suburbanites busy building and repairing things for the city dwellers.