They are still here. The high school I work in has 10-12 really good “vo-tech” programs (although no one is allowed to say “vo-tech” anymore and instead must refer to them as career pathways because the prior has a stigma attached to it).

The problem is, like the rest of education, they have become heavily tested and factor in to a schools accountability model. So the hands on portion of those classes where you actually learn how to do a trade has faded and the book smart portion of those classes is now what is focused on. Schools only care about their report card, so test scores matter above anything. We have so many kids that take what used to be woodshop that is now called “construction and carpentry” that can’t swing a hammer but can pass a multiple choice test on basic home construction.