America needs carpenters and plumbers. Gen Z doesn't seem interested

Unless you’re a REALLY strong math and/or science student interested in a STEM career, I would advise against traditional university altogether.

FWIW my nephew just finished his third year of college. He hates it and is unsure about going back. He is looking at learning a trade.

They are too busy dancing on tik tok and doing challenges.

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While Gen Z — often described as people born between 1997 and 2012 — is on track to become the most educated generation, fewer young folks are opting for traditionally hands-on jobs in the skilled trade and technical industries.

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This is proof that having a college degree doesn't exactly make you "smart". Smart is an extremely broad word. A person can be a shite student, but have the ability to do something many people do not. Is that person not smart because they just couldn't or wouldn't get it done in the classroom?

A person can make a pretty good living as a plumber. Someone who starts off as a carpenter has the opportunity to do a lot with those skills. Buy land, build your own apartments and rent them out, build a house and sell it, etc. But these jobs are not jobs that they focus on in HS. HS doesn't inform kids about opportunities outside of going to college.

There are a lot of opportunities out there without having to go to college, but no one wants these type of jobs. No one wants to do physical work anymore.

Most HS's do not offer technical training anymore. There used to be a HS in Baton Rouge that offered students a chance to leave HS as a fully licensed carpenter. The program was shut down and replaced with a performing arts program. There are schools with mechanic's shops that are completely unused.

It is not just the kids that aren't interested. The programs that would promote such interest are seen as unworthy.

I don't think this is so true.

I applied for the Electrical JATC twice before going back to school to become an accountant.

Once was in Shreveport. I did well on my exam. I didn't do so well in the interview, but it wasn't awful. I was waitlisted. This was 2016.

We moved to Boise, I applied for an apprenticeship up there. Did even better on my exam, did really well in the interview this time. The Training Coordinator pulled me aside after the interview and told me that I was a great candidate, but they had a lot of people who were already scheduled to be indentured. He told me to apply around at union shops as a helper until they were able to indenture some more. I did just that, knocked on doors, wrote emails, the works. I heard nothing for 6 months, I just figured I'd been waitlisted again. I got a call 6 months later from one of the shops offering me a job for $10/hour and that it would look good when they indentured next time. By that time I had a job and health insurance for myself and my wife and decided frick it, I just won't be an electrician. Worked that job for another year until I went back to school.

My point is, and I fully understand this is anecdotal, but for a lot of these unions you're fighting time, hoops, and nepotism. And these articles don't make it clear that you're talking about a half year process even if you start at the right time. And I know college is a 4 year process, but if you get waitlisted, and 6 months turns into 12-18, you start to wonder what the value is, particularly if you need work and insurance right then and there.

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While Gen Z — often described as people born between 1997 and 2012 — is on track to become the most educated generation, fewer young folks are opting for traditionally hands-on jobs in the skilled trade and technical industries.

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What happens when that most educated generation doesn’t get a good return on that investment of their education, while simultaneously outsourcing and needing to hire skilled trade professionals to perform the most basic repairs and tasks?

They can’t afford to hire carpenters, plumbers, electricians, or mechanics, despite being in frequent need of their services.

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It is not just the kids that aren't interested. The programs that would promote such interest are seen as unworthy.

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This is a big part of it, IMO.

It isn't only that kids are choosing four year schools and white collar paths. They are never being exposed to any trades while in school. Its no surprise that none of them ever explore those areas....their only exposure to it is when their parents hire someone to repair shite at home.

They are coming across the border very day, baw.

Land surveyors are drying up too