How do I explain wanting a trade when my family keeps mentioning my degree?

At dinner, I said I’d been offered a trainee position in an upholstery workshop. My father asked, “Then what were those three years at university for?”

I have a communications degree and work in an office coordinating promotional materials. I’m good at organising the jobs, but I’m most interested when I visit the people making things. Over the past six months, I’ve spent several Saturdays helping at the workshop that has now offered the position.

I know the Saturdays weren’t the full job. I’ve seen enjoyable repairs, not every repetitive task or difficult customer. I’ve asked to spend two complete weekdays there before deciding, and I still need the training arrangement and terms explained properly.

My family hears “trainee” as starting over. I hear a chance to learn work I keep choosing in my free time.

How would you talk about this without turning the conversation into a defence of every life choice? I want to take their concerns seriously, but I don’t want the degree to decide the rest of my working life.