Gen-Z is shunning college to take up traditional trades like welding and plumbing they say is far more satisfying and which doesn’t incur huge student debt

Data shows that more and more Generation Z students are dropping out of college and turning to vocational schools in hopes of higher wages and avoiding student debt.

Young people who came of age during the pandemic say they have been deterred from attending four-year colleges by high tuition and the prospect of student debt.

Instead, they attend vocational schools and are lured by well-paying jobs and fulfilling work.

The National Student Clearing House recorded a 16 percent increase in enrollment at two-year schools with a “high vocational program focus” in 2023 and a 2.6 percent increase in enrollment at community colleges. Bloomberg.

“It’s a really smart route for kids who want to find something and don’t want to go to college,” said 20-year-old Tanner Burgess, a graduate of the program The Wall Street Journal.

Young people who came of age during the pandemic say they have been deterred from four-year colleges and are attending trade schools instead

On TikTok, a young electrician said he makes $200,000 a year and owns several homes

“At the end of the day it feels good, I’m physically doing something and I have a sense of completion.”

There was a 23 percent increase in the number of students studying construction trades in 2023 compared to the previous year, and a seven percent increase in HVAC and vehicle maintenance and repair programs.

Left largely to their own devices during remote learning, many felt like they were not learning enough, and the idea of ​​another four years of school – or even two – held little appeal.

At the same time, the country’s student debt has soared. According to the U.S. Department of Education, more than 43 million Americans collectively owe $1.3 trillion in student loan debt, while the average borrower owes $37,000.

Americans have lost confidence in the value of a college degree over the years, with many suggesting they are unsure whether the cost of an education is worth it.

A Gallup Poll published in July 2023 found that the share of Americans who had confidence in higher education fell from 57 percent in 2015 to 36 percent.

Gen-Zers are looking to professions to make money, and many are posting online about the high salaries they earn in fields like welding and plumbing.

On TikTok, a young electrician said he makes $200,000 a year and owns several homes.

‘We work more than sixty hours a week, sixteen hours a day. This involves double work, overtime, extra benefits with your pension, and trade union benefits. “We stay busy all year round,” he said.

‘I own a few investment properties, a nice truck. My focus is on real estate investments and making more money with the money I make here.”

The National Student Clearing House recorded a 16 percent increase in enrollment at two-year schools with a “high vocational program focus”

There was a 23 percent increase in the number of students studying construction trades in 2023 compared to the previous year

According to data from payroll services provider ADP, the average pay for new hires last year was $48,089, compared to $39,520 for new hires in professional services.

Software company Jobber surveyed 1,000 high school and college students in July 2023 and found that 56 percent of respondents believe that “blue collar” jobs offer more job security than “white collar” desk jobs when it comes to AI.

Business opportunities were also important to respondents, with almost two-thirds saying they would like to start their own business at some point in their lives.

Alezet Valerio, 18, who started working on a construction site right out of high school, told The Wall Street Journal that she loves her job and finds it rewarding to build something.

‘It’s not at all what I expected. I build skyscrapers and build a career out of it,” she said.

Colby Dell, 19, is attending vocational school for auto repair and hopes to open his own mobile detailing business.

‘I always thought it was a hobby. When I looked at these vocational schools, I realized it was a dream I could actually pursue,” he said.