Photon, I think you have a pretty good grip on the pros and cons of each type of institution and the benefits they are going to provide. The challenge you face is an unfocused and unmotivated learner. This is not an uncommon problem as kids have way too many distractions in school that lead them away from developing an academic or vocational focus. When it comes to making that life affecting decision of picking a job, most are unprepared and really have no clue what they want to do. As a parent, you have to help prepare them for their future, which is no easy task.
It may be beneficial to remember that most people will change careers five to nine times in their lives. So with that in mind you may want to encourage your son to develop a strong foundation of skills that are transferable from career to career. That is where university and a classical education provide benefit. The exposure to various classes and ideas while completing lower division credits can help spark interest in what may be the life long career a young person is looking for. At worst, they develop the discipline and critical thinking skills that will aid them their whole lives. The hard part here is university is for people who do have the discipline to get study and get work done, and then also guide themselves through the wilderness of learning.
If your son does not have this ability, then a tech school like SAIT may be better for him. Tech schools provide the structure and rigor to keep students focused and driving toward a short-term goal. As a student you are going to get a quality education in how to perform a job. The skills developed are very focused to one vocation and may not be transferable to another. The larger picture learning is not going to be there, but the structure and focus to deliver job skills is much superior to that of a university. If your son is certain that he's going to want to cut code the rest of his life, SAIT has its benefits.
I think AFC's advice of letting him get a job for a year is not advice either. Some exposure to the real world and the 9-5 grind may shine some light on a path that makes the light bulb go on. Of course, the hard part is finding that job and in an industry where they might get the exposure they need to figure out that career ambition. Not an easy task as most high school graduates are going to get low paying, low skill, low responsibility jobs. So for some parents, this is not a great option.
One last thing I'll add is that you have to let your son know that learning is a life-long process. Just because they earn a certificate from SAIT or a diploma from an university, their learning has just begun. It is very likely they are going to have to return to the halls of higher learning in the future to upgrade their skills or get the education needed to climb the corporate ladder. Set this expectation and you will do your son a great service.
Good luck in guiding your son.
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