This post reads as very young. Golden careers were always competitive or exclusive in some way.

Back when you’re claiming the certifications to get into IT were “easier”, it was much harder to get that information, lots of people didn’t have access to computers, boot camps didn’t exist and the amount of people who were even aware of the certifications were lower. Trades were always exclusive to get into - you always need to know someone. Construction and other manual jobs needed a physicality that is hard

No one really handed people jobs or careers, unless someone’s parents set them up for them. I think you have the impression that people were rewarded for their unrealized potential, but that not the case - unrealized potential doesn’t count for anything without work, networking and gaining skills that are difficult and desired.

I think what you may be missing is your place in all of this. You need to get over the first hurdle of what you actually want to do. If you do want to go into trades, you can’t just apply on a computer, you’ll have to network. If you want to pursue a CS degree, you should also network, take advantage of internships, and gain a better understanding of business needs. The bar is on one hand lower than you think - it isn’t that hard to find and get internships or network. But on the other hand, a good number of people do fail to clear that bar.