Why Students are Choosing a Trade over College
More and more generation Z students are choosing a trade over college, and according to an article in the Wall Street Journal, a growing number of them are flocking to the construction trade. “Enrollment in vocational training programs is surging as overall enrollment in community colleges and four-year institutions has fallen,” writes Te-Ping Chen. “The number of students enrolled in vocational-focused community colleges rose 16 percent last year to its highest level since the National Student Clearinghouse began tracking such data in 2018. The ranks of students studying construction trades rose 23 percent during that time, while those in programs covering HVAC and vehicle maintenance and repair increased 7 percent.”
Why the surge? There are some obvious reasons including the ridiculously high cost of tuition and a declining return on investment. The average cost of a four-year college is $27,146 per year or $108,584 over four years, while out-of-state students pay even more. Students who are not able to work full-time while attending college lose a median annual income of $46,748. Then there are the 20-year student loans and the interest that can cost as much as a mortgage.
By comparison, many trade programs can be completed in less than one year, which dramatically reduces the cost of an education. Gen Z is considering how quickly they can start working after graduation. Can they really wait 4 years to start working, or is 1 to 2 years in a trade program a better option? Rather than take out loans and attend a four-year college, Gen Z is looking to trade schools because they know that time is money.
A two-year course at a trade school virtually guarantees a young plumber, electrician, welder or carpenter a job for life in an industry that is woefully understaffed and grappling with a housing shortage not seen in recent memory. Although physically demanding, most construction jobs start early and also end earlier in the day. The work is varied and challenging, and the demand for these workers is high. And if there’s a desire to be entrepreneurial and start one’s own business, the construction industry is a trade with a low barrier to entry and a higher probability of building an asset of value with relatively little risk.
All of this presents a great recruiting opportunity for companies in the construction field, with many in the industry jumping on it. They’re partnering with local high schools and offering apprenticeships, summer jobs and other opportunities to give students a taste for the work and a vision of the opportunities. There’s still a labor shortage, but the numbers are improving, and more technical degrees in engineering are still a good option for students that enjoy that kind of thing.
Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services