Increasing Number Of Gen-Z’ers Are Going To Trade Schools And Forgoing Traditional College

The following report is by Fortune:

Gen Z has a bad reputation for being work-shy. But new research shows that couldn’t be further from the truth—the youth of today just don’t want a desk job.

That’s because the youngest generation of workers is shunning college (and with it, the prospect of a corporate career) to take up traditional trades like welding, plumbing, and carpentry.

Enrollment in vocational-focused community colleges rose 16% last year to its highest level since the National Student Clearinghouse began tracking such data in 2018.

What’s more, the same data shows a 23% surge in students studying construction trades in 2023 compared to the year before, and a 7% increase in HVAC and vehicle maintenance and repair programs.

Why the shift? “People are starting to pay attention,” Mike Rowe, the CEO of MikeRoweWorks Foundation, a charity that challenges stigma and stereotypes against no-degree jobs, told Fox Business.

“Parents and kids alike are starting to get the message that trade school is an amazing opportunity with just a fraction of the debt—if any at all—and a clear path to something that looks a lot like prosperity.”

Students Were ‘Sold A Lie’

With college setting students back an average of $36,436 per year, young people today are questioning the return on investment they’ll get on the qualification.

“People are starting to smell a rat,” Rowe quipped, adding that blue-collar jobs “are a straight path to a six-figure job” without the burden of debt.

If you want proof, look no further than the fastest-growing job in the U.S. right now—wind turbine service technician—which pays up to $103,000 a year and doesn’t require a college degree.

What’s more, the median pay for new construction hires was $48,089 last year, compared to $39,520 for professional services new hires, according to data from payroll services provider ADP.

“Gen Z is just starting to realize they’ve been pushed in a direction that frankly doesn’t lead to a place they want to go,” Rowe said…