The other element missing from the post you responded to is that self-learning is very effing hard. I would say that fewer than 1/50 people can teach themselves anything of value to the job market.

I also have to point out that, as an ex-blue-collar worker myself, that blue-collar workers in generally really don't care about education or any intellectual pursuits. Sorry, but the glove of doing programming doesn't fit everyone, and it shouldn't fit everyone. The world is interesting because we all have our unique abilities.