More Gen Zers are planning to take traditional blue-collar jobs like welding, plumbing and electrical work as young people lose faith in the value of a college degree, according to a new study. It became clear.
About 23% of Americans not currently working in the trade sector say they plan to work in a blue-collar job, but that percentage rises to 50% for Gen Zers born between 1997 and 2012. That's what it means. the study Conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Intuit Credit Karma.
The survey of 2,091 people ages 18 and older found that Gen Z is becoming the “tool belt generation” due to changing attitudes and the rising cost of a college education.
“As the promise of a four-year degree fails to deliver, and the cost of a college degree continues to rise, young Americans are losing blue-collar jobs,” said Courtney Alleb, Consumer Finance Advocate at Credit Karma. We're making work cool again.” statement.
Approximately 77% of respondents said it was “outdated” to think that: university degree Although necessary for career success, only half said college was worth the investment.
Approximately 23% of Gen Zers are more positive about a trade job than a corporate job, the survey found.
According to the survey, a whopping 78% of Americans say they've noticed an increase in interest in trade jobs among young people recently.
According to data from Gusto shared with CNBC Make It, skilled trade professions such as electricians, plumbers and mechanics are seeing an increase in the number of Gen Z workers joining these fields.
“It's refreshing to see young adults paying attention and being interested in these jobs, especially given how difficult it has been for recent graduates to find white-collar jobs,” Alev said. .
This shift comes as young people face a competitive job market and prioritize job security.
With the rise of AI, a survey found that 66% of Americans believe trade professionals have more job security than business professionals.
Trade jobs are usually more affordable and attractive to young students facing rising tuition costs.
“People are really prioritizing a college education as a path to the middle class and a path to a comfortable office job,” said Lisa Countryman-Quiros, who heads the nonprofit Jewish Vocational Service and provides career training. he told NPR in May.
“Over the past 10 to 15 years, we have seen a trend among young people to drop out of college,” she added. “Large college debt alone is becoming a barrier in and of itself.”
According to the Education Data Initiative, the average cost of college in the United States has more than doubled over the past 24 years to $38,270 per student per year.
While their high prices can be a barrier, skilled trades can help “level the playing field”, especially for people of color and people from disadvantaged backgrounds, says job training platform Crime. said Nizan Perman, founder of Hire.
Pay increases in fields like welding, plumbing and machine tools have also made trade jobs more attractive, Pellman told NPR.
“There are a lot of very attractive professional jobs out there: HVAC repair and installation, electrician, solar panel installer, etc. Wind turbine installers are in very high demand and often earn a yearly salary. Over $100,000. There's a lot of demand for manual labor,” Pellman said.
