Whether or not one should go to college is a question that has been crossing the minds of Generation Z a lot in recent years. Younger people, many of whom are now approaching their high school graduation, are still considering what career paths they may want to pursue. Blue-collar jobs might be a viable option.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), the enrollment ratings of non-degree trade programs have increased. Construction trade programs, for example, saw an increase of enrollment by 19.3%, according to the NSC study. Other programs with instruction in mechanical trades and culinary arts witnessed similar increases of enrollment in 2021 and 2022. This increase of trade school enrollment has stayed consistent as more and more students have started seeking blue-collar careers – but why is this?

There have been a few reasons discussed as to why students are preferring trade school over college enrollment. One of the most common reasons mentioned by students attending trade schools would be the rising cost of college tuition. In the 2003-2004 school year, average tuition fees for attending a public four-year college rose 13.4%. It has continued to rise. Costs rose by 1.6% in 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). With rising tuition costs, the price of attending a four-year college for obtaining a degree did not seem worth it to those who entered the trades. There is widespread fear that one could be struggling with college debt and potentially not working in one’s desired career field, which diminishes any practical use of college attendance or a degree.

The threat of artificial intelligence (AI) is another reason mentioned by trade students. Growing usage of artificial intelligence in technology-driven workplaces is replacing many workers. In contrast, blue-collar jobs have been ranked to be safer from artificial replacement. According to Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), less than 1% of blue-collar jobs could be replaced by AI. As Gen Z enters the workforce, some have taken the threat of AI into consideration when deciding what career path they want to pursue which has led them to entering the trades.

Benefits of entering the trades have been very appealing to many in Gen Z. One benefit of trade enrollment has been the demand of skilled tradespeople. As COVID-19 made its way into the United States back in 2020, many workers voluntarily resigned from their former jobs including those working in manual labor. This has created a high-demand for manual labor workers, with many job positions still open to this day. Those in Gen Z entering the workforce have taken advantage of this opportunity, as this labor shortage grants more open job positions and higher pay to those working in these affected fields.

With the rising costs of college, no guaranteed career lined up, and job insecurity due to artificial intelligence, many young people have turned to the trades. Attending trade school has guaranteed them learning a skill that they can always put to use, along with a lot of job positions available. Overall, the benefits of trade school and working in blue-collar only continue to become more appealing.