A New Era

Recently, we installed an electrical panel in our home, and a man and woman showed up to do the work. 

Both were young and so I asked what drew them to the trades. The man gave noncommittal answers, but the woman enthusiastically told me her story. 

She came from a working-class Dallas suburb and had never even met an electrician until she entered the field as an apprentice. Her plan was to open her own business someday. “Texas is getting more and more people,” she said. “And there aren’t enough electricians.” I asked how she learned that. Someone must have given her the idea to pursue this work. It turned out that a high school counselor recommended it when she told him her dream of becoming a business owner. I congratulated her on a great choice, but she didn’t seem to need my encouragement. The woman was clearly hardworking and eager to learn.

That apprentice electrician is part of a growing trend. It seems that the news has officially broken: A career in the trades means great earning potential and no shortage of work. More and more media outlets are reporting that Gen Z is “The Toolbelt Generation” as the number of students enrolled in vocational-focused community colleges rose 16% last year, an increase of 112,000 students, according to the National Student Clearinghouse. On the construction side, that figure rose by 23%.

There are a number of contributing factors here including the higher pay and cool new technologies seen in many of these jobs. There’s also growing disenchantment with college debt and a lack of opportunity for many graduates with so-called “soft” degrees such as political science or media studies. And finally, a concerted effort from the construction industry to raise awareness of the trades has started to bear fruit. 

This is all wonderful news. The labor shortage has bottlenecked remodeling for years, and a flood of new workers could bring powerful growth. In addition, the stigma against a career in the trades has not only affected young people who might have otherwise entered the field, but it also has hurt the professionals who are there now. Who wants to feel like the work they do every day is looked down on by most of the country?

Yet, I can’t help but wonder if there will be another side to this influx. I read the following entries on a recent subreddit for teachers: “I am seeing so many kids who think that they can just shit on school, join the trades, make more money than everyone, and have an easy life!”

One person responded: “Absolutely. My dad works in the trades. He says they’re firing another 18 year old every other week.” 

Another wrote, “Most truly think ‘I’ll be a mechanic and life will be amazing.’”

Don’t get me wrong, a world where hordes of misinformed people enter the trades is a much better scenario than the shortage we currently face. 

Yet it’s still an issue. I will be interested to see the next chapter unfold, and am grateful to have a front row seat.