“Where do you want to go for college?” We’ve all heard this question, and for most of us college has always been seen as a necessity; we have to go to college because that’s what is expected of us, and that’s what will allow us to make enough money to survive. But what if college wasn’t the only path to success? What if an alternative path has been under our noses the whole time? Recently, there has been a spike in the popularity of trade jobs with younger people, a drastic shift from the previous emphasis on college. 

A trade job is a profession that requires a specialized skill usually involving manual labor. Some examples include plumbers, electricians, mechanics, or carpenters. In order to work in the trades, workers must go through intense training for their specific job, which can be a combination of hands-on experience and classroom-style training. Trade workers play an integral role in maintaining and creating the systems we normally don’t give a second thought to, yet support our everyday lives. 

As important as trade jobs are, there has often been a stigma around them. Over 85% of parents push their teenagers to go to college, while only 22% encourage them to attend trade school. Skilled trades have had a reputation for being less prestigious than college degrees or office positions, as people tend to look down on what they see as “dirtier” manual labor. However, even though previous generations have often looked down on skilled trades, Gen Z is showing an increase in interest. Less than half of Gen Z students are planning to attend college, a 28% decrease from 2020. In fact, in the past eight years, trade schools saw a 70% increase in enrollment. 

There are several advantages of trade careers instead of more traditional, college-focused career paths, including education, job satisfaction, and salary. The cost to complete a four-year college degree averages a total of $79,200, compared to $15,070 for a trade school certificate. However, time can be just as—or even more—valuable than money, and trade school gets students into the workforce much faster. The length of a trade course can range from six months to two years, while a bachelor’s degree takes four years and a master’s degree can take up to six years. Job satisfaction in the trades is also substantially higher than the average job satisfaction in the US. Only about half of all Americans are extremely satisfied with their careers, compared to almost 90% of trade workers. Additionally, contrary to popular belief, trade workers make a substantial living, with their median annual salary in New York State being $45,000 compared to the median of all occupations of $42,000.

However, these benefits don’t come without trade-offs. For one, attending trade school drastically limits your career choices. Trade schools prepare students for one field, and one field only. If a young electrician decides that the field isn’t for them, they would have to go through training again to change their career. So, if you plan to enter trade school, it would be best to be absolutely certain about your career path. College offers much more flexibility, with a degree opening up a wider range of opportunities. Additionally, corporate jobs have a much more complex power hierarchy, with room for growth and promotions. There is a higher potential for income, rewarding hard work, and connections as an entry-level worker with the potential to rise to a high-level management position through their years of experience. Perhaps the most extreme downside of a trade position is the physical toll it has on a body. All ten of the jobs in America with the most workplace fatalities are trade jobs. The deadliest job, loggers, have an average fatality rate of 100 out of every 100,000 workers. 

These factors have always been a part of trade jobs, but why has their popularity spiked so recently? The reason is simple: technology. The manual nature of trade jobs gives them stability. AI can’t fix pipes. It can’t build houses. It can’t repair a car. Only 5% of skilled trade workers fear their jobs being replaced by AI or similar technology, compared to 30% of overall workers. Over the next 10 years, job growth is predicted to rise 3.1%, while skilled trades are expected to rise by about 9%. In a future where people are becoming increasingly concerned with the possibilities of AI, stability becomes a priority. 

As demand for trade jobs continues to grow, they become more appealing of an opportunity to the younger generation. Even though college is still a choice full of potential, trade careers are now seen as just as promising, benefiting those who don’t belong behind a desk for the rest of their lives. Maybe the next generation of workers will recognize the choices they have and decide their future without the pressure to fit into the box of a traditional college degree.