Skilled Trades Create a Path to Success for Gen Z
For decades, conventional wisdom suggested that college was the sole path to stability. However, Gen Z is bucking the college trend, opting for trades over traditional university degrees. Recently coined the “Toolbelt Generation,” many bypass higher education in favor of hands-on careers.
Approximately half of college graduates end up in jobs that don’t actually require a degree. Combine that with the fact that students have to take on significant debt to get these degrees, and it’s no surprise that younger generations are challenging this conventional wisdom. This pivot is making the skilled trades sector more appealing to a whole new generation.
High Demand = High Value
Due to past overemphasis on college as the only post-secondary goal, the skilled trades industry is experiencing significant demand for new talent. This means that skilled trades workers have higher earning potential than ever before. In fact, the median pay for new construction hires rose 5.1% last year to $48,089. In comparison, the starting pay for hires in professional services only went up 2.7% to $39,520.
In addition to this, demand will only continue to grow. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is projected to add 15 million infrastructure jobs in the next decade. Members of Gen Z are in a prime position to take advantage of this increased demand and earning potential. Their comfort with and interest in technology is an asset and they have the potential to breathe new life into the industry.
The Digital Generation is watching 14.8 million Millennials struggle to repay student loan debt. Many are also entering the workforce at a time when millions are leaving their jobs; a trend largely attributed to burnout.
It’s no surprise then that Gen Z is increasingly interested in the trades. Recent research shows that 75% of high school and college-age people would be interested in vocational schools that offered paid, on-the-job training.
The demand for new skilled trades technicians is growing, as is Gen Z’s interest in the industry. This means we can provide people with good, stable careers, ensure companies have the highly skilled staff they need, and support the growing infrastructure of our communities by creating better career pathways and training in the skilled trades for today’s youth.
Skilled Trades Give Flexibility to Individual Goals & Lifestyles
While so much about our world and the way we work has changed (and continues to change), one thing we’ve seen consistently over the last few years is the younger generation’s desire for more flexible work.
Whereas flexibility may be a relatively new concept in the more hierarchical white-collar world, younger generations will be happy to learn that flexibility is a skilled trades staple.
A career in the skilled trades allows employees more control over their lifestyle and the runway to pursue their passion. Depending on their interests, a tradesperson can tailor their career so that they enjoy frequent interactions with customers, participate in the hiring and mentoring process, or tinker with the latest technologies.
After accumulating the experience, many skilled trade workers go on to establish their own companies. Considering that the majority (62%) harbor entrepreneurial aspirations, members of the Digital Generation may find this concept particularly intriguing. The flexibility of the work and the various potential career paths make the trades a great option for new generations entering the workforce.
Skilled Trades Give Purpose & Impact
The Digital Generation is highly oriented around personal values and a sense of purpose. A recent MetLife survey on employee benefits found that more than half say “work with purpose is a must-have.”
From repairing the heating system in a home to preparing a small business for opening day, tradespeople help customers in meaningful, tangible ways. It’s a satisfying and rewarding occupation. Just ask a skilled trades worker.
In fact, a whopping 83% of tradespeople report being either somewhat or extremely satisfied with their choice of work. Not only that, but 94% of those in the industry say that they would encourage their own family members or kids to pursue similar occupations.
Overall, 22% of all trades people commonly report the meaning and value of their work as the chief source of their happiness. Clearly, if future workers are looking for an option that will give them purpose and good job satisfaction, the skilled trades should be high on their list.
What’s Holding Districts Back?
We know that there is a massive skills gap in the trades. We also know that these careers provide good salaries, high job satisfaction, and job security. So, what’s preventing schools from implementing more skilled trades training?
Training for the trades is an inherently difficult process, requiring significant equipment, expertise, and space. Fortunately, we live in a time when technology can help. Career readiness in the skilled trades is much more accessible with modern, immersive technology platforms like Edmentum Career Trade Prep: Powered by Interplay.
How Edmentum Can Help
Trade Prep Powered by Interplay offers nine job-ready programs for in-demand skilled trades, offering immersive, simulation-based instruction for high school students that result in better careers and better lives. Trade Prep instruction is designed with the support of trusted industry experts and instructional designers to offer accurate and engaging learning experiences.
With the power to recreate complex job scenarios, 3D simulations offer learners a safe space to practice skills virtually without physical tools. This replicates the benefits of hands-on experience without requiring dedicated training space and ensures inexperienced learners practice in a virtual environment before ever touching live equipment.
Immersive learning approaches create a virtual, game-like experience that engages students. Educators can trust the deeper learning science, which applies a constructivist learning theory emphasizing experiential learning to develop deep understanding.
Trade Prep is just one of many great options available through Edmentum Career that helps all students get workforce ready, whether they’re preparing for college or career. Learn more today.
Adapted from an article that originally appeared on Interplay Learning
