Nic sits down with Jason Downs for a talk about career and education options. Jason is a self-described middle-aged family man with an accounting degree who recently served on a local school board. After a series of accounting related jobs, today finds him a stay-at-home dad.

They start their discussion with a focus on the Swiss VET System. VET stands for “Vocational, Educational, and Training.” The system is designed to assess high school students’ aptitude, how they are wired, and then put them on a track that includes job skills training.

The kids graduate ready to enter the workforce and make a real contribution rather than wait to learn everything on the job.

Nic observes, “There’s something magical about being a producer and not just a consumer.”

Jason shares his story about choosing accounting over becoming an architect. His heart is clear: we need to find a way for our school systems to do a better job. The statistics in Switzerland show two-thirds of kids going into the trades. In the United States, two-thirds go to college and half of them never finish college.

The realization is not every kid is academically wired. Jason’s desire is for high school to be both “life prep” and “college prep.” He wants to believe there’s a better way for kids to find their path that allows them to contribute to society in a meaningful way.

If you enjoy Nic and Tarina’s podcast and get something from listening to “all this Nic Bittle Crap,” please hit the like button, share it with a friend, or both. Your recommendation goes a long way in helping us reach more people.

Also if you have questions that you want Nic and Tarina to answer, email them at info@nicbittle.com.

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🛟 Click here to order your copy of Nic’s Life Ready Curriculum

🧰 Check out Nic’s new solution for foremen: The Foreman's Inner Circle

💬 To subscribe to Nic’s Leadership DRIP, please text the word “DRIP” to 866-998-4545 then follow the prompts.

❓ If you have questions or comments for Nic & Tarina, please send an email to info@nicbittle.com.

🎬 Check out Nic's Work Force Pro YouTube channel.

📚 Nic has written 4 books. You can decide which one is best for you here.

Nic and Tarina joke about the possibility of producing a 2026 calendar featuring him and Cruze moving plants into the rain. Tarina “loves” the idea. Nic also believes Tarina lost her true calling as a word-smith. “So good it just tastes like really dark dirt,” was Tarina’s comment after taking a sip of her Americano.

Nic shares a correction on the previous episode about Charlie Kirk. Nic believes people feel connected with Charlie because he was courageous. A lot of people are inspired by his example of boldness in faith, work, and life.

Tarina and Nic just returned from the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) National Conference in Chicago. Nic spoke about how to have hard conversations while there. This is one of the skills Nic loves teaching. It takes courage to tell somebody they can do better.

In a standing-room only session, Nic talked about being able to do an assessment on your leadership style. A lot of people afterwards came up with questions and feedback.

It was a great time to catch up with people, connecting in person, and invite them to be on the podcast.

If you enjoy Nic and Tarina’s podcast and get something from listening to “all this Nic Bittle Crap,” please hit the like button, share it with a friend, or both. Your recommendation goes a long way in helping us reach more people.

Also if you have questions that you want Nic and Tarina to answer, email them at info@nicbittle.com.

---

🛟 Click here to order your copy of Nic’s Life Ready Curriculum

🧰 Check out Nic’s new solution for foremen: The Foreman's Inner Circle

💬 To subscribe to Nic’s Leadership DRIP, please text the word “DRIP” to 866-998-4545 then follow the prompts.

❓ If you have questions or comments for Nic & Tarina, please send an email to info@nicbittle.com.

🎬 Check out Nic's Work Force Pro YouTube channel.

📚 Nic has written 4 books. You can decide which one is best for you here.

Charlie created a connection with people, especially college students. One way he did this was have conversations with people and stay cool under pressure.

While Nic sees him as a greater debater, he didn’t feel like he knew him like some folks have expressed online. They both see him living boldly his values: You know where he stood on his beliefs and his perspective.

Do you want to do a better job of connecting? You have to let people in, be vulnerable, practice humility, and be more curious not judgmental. You also need to be aware and available, not on your device, and have conversations.

Ask yourself the question: Do people really know me? Why or why not?

If you enjoy Nic and Tarina’s podcast and get something from listening to “all this Nic Bittle Crap,” please hit the like button, share it with a friend, or both. Your recommendation goes a long way in helping us reach more people.

Also if you have questions that you want Nic and Tarina to answer, email them at info@nicbittle.com.

---

🛟 Click here to order your copy of Nic’s Life Ready Curriculum

🧰 Check out Nic’s new solution for foremen: The Foreman's Inner Circle

💬 To subscribe to Nic’s Leadership DRIP, please text the word “DRIP” to 866-998-4545 then follow the prompts.

❓ If you have questions or comments for Nic & Tarina, please send an email to info@nicbittle.com.

🎬 Check out Nic's Work Force Pro YouTube channel.

📚 Nic has written 4 books. You can decide which one is best for you here.