I am so sick of this argument, people just assume that you don't make a living wage because you chose to work in fast food or some other “mediocre” position. First off, time is irreplaceable, if you're working any job, you should be compensated fairly for that time that you will NEVER get back, but that's an argument for another time.
I'm a young buck machinist, been in the trade for 9 years now and am very good at it. My closest friends are electricians, carpenters, plumbers, armed security with secret clearance, cdl drivers, and one is a second LT. In the military. These are skilled trades in high demand, we all have degrees ranging from associates to bachelor's, most of us have little to no debt.
The least experienced person has 5 years in the field, the median income for us is $20ish and hour, median rent for the region is $2,200.
We have all looked around in our fields for better paying opportunities, most offer little to no increase in salary or require commutes that completely negate the extra income.
It's not a lack of willingness to work, companies just do not want to pay living wages.