I Pipefitters, Machinists, millwrights, painters, electricians, instrument techs, plant operators, insulators, etc. We all made about the same wages. About $10-13 an hour. It wasn't great money but it allowed you to have a place to live, a vehicle, even start a family and not have to live in a cardboard box under the bridge.
Here it is almost 40yrs later and most of those jobs are filled by people STILL making $10-13 an hour.
Agree that college is overhyped. It is not for everybody.
But machinists, plant operators making $10/ hour now? Not from what I have seen, but perhaps true some places.