Video: Eagle Scout Mike Rowe tells Scouts to work smart AND hard

21July2013

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Eagle Scout Mike Rowe once got the worst advice he’s ever heard.
A teacher, Mr. Dunbar, told him to “work smart, not hard.” Ever heard that advice from a boss or teacher?
At Saturday afternoon’s stadium show, Rowe rewrote Mr. Dunbar’s bad advice, telling the crowd of tens of thousands of Scouts, Scouters and Venturers that the key is to “work smart and hard.” And he needs the help of all of us in the Boy Scouts of America.
In anyone can rouse a crowd through hilarious stories and inspiring words, it’s Mike Rowe. He did it at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree and at the BSA’s 2012 National Annual Meeting. The third time was his best yet.
The former Dirty Jobs host has embarked on a mission to increase the profile of skilled labor, where 3 million jobs are waiting “for people willing to get their hands dirty.”
The problem: Too many people consider skilled labor to be a “vocational consolation prize,” Rowe said. ”I’m not talking about you guys,” he said. “The Boy Scouts get it. The Boy Scouts have always got it.”
Watch the full video of Rowe’s speech after the jump.