Younger generations are increasingly foregoing the traditional route of university followed by office work, choosing instead vocational training and manual labor positions. They're entering fields like electrical work, plumbing, and carpentry for six-figure salaries—yet a single booming sector remains one they're still rejecting.
TL;DR
- Younger generations are choosing vocational training over university for higher pay in skilled trades.
- Manufacturing faces a significant labor shortage despite expected job growth by 2033.
- Gen Z rejects manufacturing due to perceived lack of adaptability and security, and lower pay.
- Immigration decline and Baby Boomer retirements further strain the U.S. manufacturing workforce.
Manufacturing is one of America’s hottest growing professions, with 3.8 million new jobs expected to open up by 2033, according to research last year fromDeloitte and the Manufacturing Institute.
However, it's anticipated that half of those positions will remain vacant. A distinct study from Soter Analytics report indicates that merely 14% of Generation Z individuals would contemplate a career in industrial fields.
It's quite apparent why Gen Z is drawn to manufacturing roles that don't require a college degree; they're already opting out of comfortable, climate-controlled workplaces for careers in skilled trades. However, they're currently opting to abstain from this particular field.
This is probably due to one-fourth of them feeling the sector lacks adaptability and isn't secure, according to Soter Analytics' research—two essential requirements for Gen Z, who value value hybrid work and feeling cared for at work.
Younger generations are interested in skilled trades—but not necessarily in traditional manufacturing settings.
The workforce’s youngest generation is swapping “office siren” attire for hard hats and neon vests. But they won’t be rushing to fill open seats on factory floors.
Enrollment in vocational-focused community colleges jumped 16% over the past year, hitting its peak since the National Student Clearinghouse started monitoring this information in 2018. There was also was a 23% increase in Gen Z students pursuing construction trades between 2022 and 2023, along with a 7% boost in those engaging in HVAC and vehicle repair courses. The majority of Americans, 78%, have seen a growing fascination with trade careers among younger adults.
These blue-collar professions offer Gen Z the chance to be self-employed, enjoy greater autonomy in their schedules, and still earn substantial incomes. The labor is greatly sought after, and doesn't necessitate an expensive university education, which often burdens many young individuals with financial obligations.
But factory work faces some issues that are complete turn-offs to Gen Z.
Previously, manufacturing was promoted as a secure profession, complete with a pension, and the sector offered abundant prospects within America's industrial landscape. However, nowadays, trades like plumbing and even serving food provide superior financial prospects (and are more adaptable) compared to being a mere component in an assembly process.
Manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Pay an average of about $25 per hour, or about $51,890 per year—far below the 2024 average American salary of about $69,850 annually.
A potential cause for the lack of wage growth in this industry could be attributed to companies actively hindering the formation of factory labor organizations. Employees now possess significantly reduced leverage to negotiate for improved compensation, which previously rendered these positions highly desirable.
Gen Z also doesn't wish to be confined to 'uninteresting' manufacturing environments, as they might discover greater appeal in serving drinks or clearing blockages for superior compensation.
Younger generations aren't the only ones facing this issue, yet a solution is required.
The United States urgently requires additional individuals for assembly and machine operation roles, a necessity acknowledged by Americans, as 80% feel the nation would improve if more domestic laborers were directed toward the manufacturing sector.
However, words are easily spoken, and very few individuals are genuinely prepared to undertake the task themselves. Research from same 2024 CATO Institute poll revealed that a mere 25% of the American population believes they would benefit from employment in a manufacturing plant.
“You’re up against these huge technological changes in addition to trade and in addition to the fact that people are getting more educated,” Kyle Handley, an economist at the University of California, San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy, toldBusiness Insider.
“The country’s growing richer, and there are these other jobs in the service sector, which people have gravitated toward.”
The formerly flourishing sector is currently facing unprecedented scrutiny due to the disruptive impact of President Trump’s initiatives on the workforce.
America’s manufacturing industry has long relied on immigrant workers to take on the jobs that U.S.-born citizens don’t want to do. Deloitte’s research found that a decline in immigration in recent years has already strained the labor supply. Trump’s crackdown on immigration and deportation efforts could set back the sector even more.
The issue is escalating as the American labor force prepares for a significant shift: the retirement of baby boomers.
A version of this story originally published on Coins2Day.com on April 17, 2025.
