What!? They aren’t? Surprise, they don’t like Facebook either!
So, picture this: I’m cruising to work, listening to NPR (I’m old), and this dude from Gen X pops up, talking about how teens aren’t into skilled trades because, well, they’re not sexy. And I’m like, duh! Even I know that!
Who’d think a job fixing stuff or working with tools is sexy?
It’s not about being sexy; it’s about being stable.
Let’s face it: Trying to pitch skilled trades to teens is like offering snow boots in the Sahara – it’s just not on their radar. They’re not buying it.
But you know who might? Those folks hitting the big 3-5. Why? Because they’re at that point where stability starts sounding like music to their ears. They’ve been humping $40K jobs for 15 years and have almost, but not quite, given up on hope.
Imagine walking into a restaurant and saying, “Hey, want a job that pays well, has killer benefits, and sets you up for a comfy retirement?” It’s like waving a magic wand. And who’s going to be first in line? Not the teens dreaming of six-figure gigs without lifting a finger. Nope, it’s those 35-year-olds who’ve been around the block and know the value of a hard day’s work.
So, sure, skilled trades might not be on the top of Gen Z and Millennials’ wishlists, but who needs ’em when you’ve got another generation out there dreaming of steady work and a fat paycheck!
I have two Gen Z’s in Highschool and both of them and many of their friends are all about the trades. The idea of spending more time in front of a computer in college and coming out of it in a huge amount of debt when they can spend those 2-4 years learning a trade they think is pretty cool and making $$$ is a no-brainer. Not sure which Gen Z’s were polled but in my area trades are seeing a big resurgence. My junior is currently enrolled in a High School trade program in the Electrical Energy sector and my Freshman also plans on pursuing a trade through the same center when he is a junior. They don’t all want to work from a Starbucks all day.