Maybe 50 years ago, when a kids were a lot more likely to find an electronics project lab under the Christmas tree. I have some experience with soldering, but honestly, nearly all of it comes from working in a plumbing store (which is not the same kind of soldering) and a hardware store (which maybe is, and maybe isn't). Haven't touched a soldering iron more than once or twice in 25 years of IT work. I'm not sure I know anyone who has.