[onewhippedpuppy]

If he likes working with his hands have him call his local tech school and see what they offer. In his situation he'll probably qualify for enough in grants to cover his education, so the money won't be an issue. Pretty much any skilled trade (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, welding, etc) will be in demand in the future, for exactly the reasons that Karl outlined. There's been a huge drop-off in kids entering blue-collar trades, but demand is growing. The more guys retire, the more demand their is.

Most licensed skilled labor starts at $40k, and he could be at that point within 3 years (1 year school + 1-2 year apprentice). It's a great payoff for not much investment.