Gen Z embraces trade jobs over college, but new data highlights rising risks and discontent
TOI World Desk | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Jul 04, 2025, 00:38 IST
( Image credit : TIL Creatives, TOIGLOBAL )
Gen Z's increasing interest in skilled trades like welding and automotive repair faces unexpected hurdles. A recent study reveals that these jobs often suffer from high unemployment, limited growth, and hazardous conditions. Despite the appeal of avoiding student debt, young workers may encounter job instability and dissatisfaction due to economic volatility and automation.
A growing number of Gen Z workers are turning away from traditional college paths in favor of skilled trade jobs, but a new study suggests the move may come with more challenges than expected. While avoiding student debt and embracing hands-on careers like welding and electrical work has become increasingly popular among younger Americans, recent data raises questions about job stability, satisfaction, and long-term viability in these trades.
According to a 2024 Harris Poll conducted for Intuit Credit Karma, 78% of Americans have noticed more young people entering trades such as plumbing, automotive repair, and construction. For many, the appeal lies in the promise of steady income, faster entry into the workforce, and a perceived insulation from artificial intelligence threats that loom over many white-collar professions.
However, a new report from WalletHub ranking the best and worst entry-level jobs in the United States for 2025 casts doubt on the sustainability of this trend. Several trade roles, including welders, automotive mechanics, and drafters, appeared near the bottom of the list due to high unemployment rates, weak job growth, and hazardous working conditions.
The study listed the ten worst entry-level positions, with welders, CNC machine programmers, mechanical drafters, and boilermakers among them. Emergency dispatchers and telecommunications technicians also made the list. These roles scored poorly based on factors such as job availability, growth outlook, and physical safety concerns.
Notably, building inspectors, electricians, and plumbers—positions often promoted as reliable alternatives to college—were found to have an average unemployment rate of 7.2%. That figure is more than triple the rate for entry-level white-collar roles such as financial and budget analysts, which hover around 2%.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo linked the disparity to economic volatility. “Trade jobs are closely tied to cyclical industries like construction and manufacturing,” Lupo said. “When those sectors slow, project delays and cancellations can lead to widespread job losses.” He also noted the increasing impact of automation and prefabrication technologies, which are beginning to replace aspects of manual labor once considered immune to technological disruption.
Compounding the concern is low job satisfaction. A separate study cited electricians as the least happy workers in the United States, pointing to long hours, physically demanding environments, and low emotional rewards. Other trades, including construction workers and warehouse managers, also reported low satisfaction due to inconsistent schedules and high stress levels.
Despite these challenges, some engineering roles within the industrial sector bucked the trend. Geotechnical engineers, mine engineers, and drilling engineers were found to have the longest job tenures—more than double those of many office-based roles—suggesting that certain technical specializations still offer long-term security.
The findings present a more nuanced view of a growing generational shift. While skilled trades continue to attract Gen Z workers looking for alternatives to the traditional college route, the reality on the ground is more complex. Analysts and career advisors urge young workers to consider not just the upfront costs of education, but the long-term risks associated with physical demands, economic downturns, and emerging technologies.
As the American workforce evolves, Gen Z’s embrace of blue-collar work may be a reaction to broken promises in higher education—but it may also bring its own set of unforeseen challenges.
According to a 2024 Harris Poll conducted for Intuit Credit Karma, 78% of Americans have noticed more young people entering trades such as plumbing, automotive repair, and construction. For many, the appeal lies in the promise of steady income, faster entry into the workforce, and a perceived insulation from artificial intelligence threats that loom over many white-collar professions.
However, a new report from WalletHub ranking the best and worst entry-level jobs in the United States for 2025 casts doubt on the sustainability of this trend. Several trade roles, including welders, automotive mechanics, and drafters, appeared near the bottom of the list due to high unemployment rates, weak job growth, and hazardous working conditions.
The study listed the ten worst entry-level positions, with welders, CNC machine programmers, mechanical drafters, and boilermakers among them. Emergency dispatchers and telecommunications technicians also made the list. These roles scored poorly based on factors such as job availability, growth outlook, and physical safety concerns.
Notably, building inspectors, electricians, and plumbers—positions often promoted as reliable alternatives to college—were found to have an average unemployment rate of 7.2%. That figure is more than triple the rate for entry-level white-collar roles such as financial and budget analysts, which hover around 2%.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo linked the disparity to economic volatility. “Trade jobs are closely tied to cyclical industries like construction and manufacturing,” Lupo said. “When those sectors slow, project delays and cancellations can lead to widespread job losses.” He also noted the increasing impact of automation and prefabrication technologies, which are beginning to replace aspects of manual labor once considered immune to technological disruption.
Compounding the concern is low job satisfaction. A separate study cited electricians as the least happy workers in the United States, pointing to long hours, physically demanding environments, and low emotional rewards. Other trades, including construction workers and warehouse managers, also reported low satisfaction due to inconsistent schedules and high stress levels.
Despite these challenges, some engineering roles within the industrial sector bucked the trend. Geotechnical engineers, mine engineers, and drilling engineers were found to have the longest job tenures—more than double those of many office-based roles—suggesting that certain technical specializations still offer long-term security.
The findings present a more nuanced view of a growing generational shift. While skilled trades continue to attract Gen Z workers looking for alternatives to the traditional college route, the reality on the ground is more complex. Analysts and career advisors urge young workers to consider not just the upfront costs of education, but the long-term risks associated with physical demands, economic downturns, and emerging technologies.
As the American workforce evolves, Gen Z’s embrace of blue-collar work may be a reaction to broken promises in higher education—but it may also bring its own set of unforeseen challenges.