Gen Z ditching 4-year colleges for trade schools, Wall Street Journal reports
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- čas přidán 2. 04. 2024
- Gen Z is increasingly saying no to degrees from four-year colleges and universities and instead going the trade school route, according to new reporting from the Wall Street Journal which dubs Gen Z as "the toolbelt generation." Te-Ping Chen, the Wall Street Journal reporter who wrote the story, joined CBS News to discuss the trend.
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As a PhD in the sciences, I applaud this. Culturally and economically, it's time for the pendulum to swing back towards the middle.
It will be a problem all over again. Private investors wanted to make money off of 4+ year universities and driving up tuition costs, now, they’ll go after trade schools to do the same.
Yeah, but most trade jobs are not easy to get into ask a recent welder, electrician, plumber etc. You're also stuck in that field and have no opportunity to move from jobs. I would suggest get a college degree first than get a Trade job.
It's not an either/or situation. We need people in trades, yes, but we are rapidly losing our edge in technological innovation to China.
I've notice something about people calling for fewer people to go to college:
Almost all of them are themselves college grads who wouldn't be caught dead doing the manual trades.
I'm going to rebut this point @@kenofken9458 . In some households, the blue collar trades weren't an option and the only respected route was college. I think socially those careers were not celebrated as well though our country runs on them. If could go back 30 years and have both options presented to me, I might have made a different choice and opted for a more simple life. Our political class and corporate America haven't helped though as they de-industrialized our nation and made things much more complicated. In short I don't think the white collar route should be the only route, nore are white collar workers only worthy of respect. Best regards.
Colleges have decided they want so much money I can see why VoTech schools are popular.
When colleges are not on the hook if a student makes or doesn't make their payments basically started the wild west era of universities hiking their fees up.
Tech/Trades Schools should be paid for just as High Schools are. Should be no loans because should already be covered.
@rmmvw
2 yr and trade schools should just be paid for. Helps social mobility, get people out of poverty. Would eliminate the problem you mentioned because gov could squeeze the schools, bargain for lowest prices without tangled mess of loans
@@TwinFalls88 what if everyone wants to be a plumber?
@@kimhorton6109
That's 100% fine. The market will take care of it. The wage would go down and then the next cohort of students may choose something else like welding or nursing etc
Simple.
Shouldn't avoid increased skills of American workers to protect a few people. People will naturally seek occupations in demand that pay well whichever way the labor market goes. But skilled labor of all kinds is a strategic asset and makes U.S. competitive.
I think the greater point is missed. Going to a trade school doesn't mean that you're going to, say, be a welder or a plumber for life. It just means that you 1) you don't accumulate college debt 2) you can learn other skills, later, to transition to another career. So, rather than go to college to find a career, I think this younger generation has found that not only is this not necessary, it prevents them from accumulating debt, which may allow them to, say, buy a house, which wouldn't be possible if they attended college.
Education debt. Schooling costs no matter were one gets it.
@@brodriguez11000 state schools can provide a bachelor's for an affordable price. Kids can learn a trade first and if later in life want to switch, can do so debt free
@JG-MV I agree. It's worth noting, as a professor of applied math, I've travelled to universities abroad that have free, or very low cost, tuition. The result is that there's often a shortage of professors and resources. So, those who are enrolled in popular programs, such as computer science, are severely restricted. In other words, if you want to study a topic at a university, what often results is that you can't. (Btw, this is a value-free statement. That is, I'm not arguing against this. I'm just stating that there are advantages and disadvantages to both type of systems.)
#2 applies to undergrad far more than it does trade school
there is nothing wrong with being welder or plumber for life
Gen Z saw how colleges, specifically predatory loans, have decimated the future of Millennials. I'm glad many are starting to choose the trade route again, we certainly need better contractors.
Yes bro. These dudes are shady
As a Millennial I pat myself on the back everyday for not going to college.
And then we have a shortage of white collar workers such as teachers and doctors and the cycle continues over and over lol
@@TheUnseenKrab not the flex you think it is. How much money do you make?
@@0IIIIII never said anything about flexing 25k I want something better. By somthing better. Better without going to college for fear of drowning in debt.
Community colleges play a huge part in this and deserves the recognition for the impact it has made for our work force.
@@P.90.603 that’s a completely inaccurate thing to say. There are 1,000 community colleges in the US and California has one of the most robust transfer admissions policies in the US with guarantee transfer programs like TAG and cal state ADT showing that almost nearly 50% of their study body are transfers from the California community college. With freshman admit rates of like 11% at the UC you have very well prepared students but the four year option is so selective. Transfer admissions to UC averages at around 40% with most campuses at 70%z Community colleges is not just for transfers, many students come for reasons such as career, technical programs etc. get your facts straight… the losers are the students who come out of a useless bachelors degree with hundreds and thousands in student debt.
@@P.90.603
...
Community college is just fine.
Same degree as something from Uni
Just at a better cost.
@@glaznflip1501 Agreed 😂
@@P.90.603 well you are probably using an iPhone or apple device like most to post but Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak went to de anza college. I wouldn’t say they’re were losers. They are among many successful people who started their journeys at community colleges.
@@P.90.603 enroll in a class!!!! I took so many fun classes at my local
Community college and learned amazing skills. I was able to buy a house without an agent after taking a real estate course! Best $47 a unit I ever invested in. Thank you community college.
I applaud Gen Z for their practicality. After I graduated in the mid 1990's, jobs were very difficult to come by. In Los Angeles, the aerospace industry was experiencing huge layoffs so all those former aerospace workers were taking jobs in other industries. As a result, finding a job for a recent college grad like myself was next to impossible. So, I went back to school at a Tech / Trade School to learn about computers. Best decision I ever made. I was able to find work doing desktop support / market research. Fast forward to today. I know co-workers who have NOT attended college but instead enrolled in Computer Programming Boot Camps. In sum, get skills that are in demand and then, if you still desire to get a college degree, you can do so by attending community college and / or transferring to a 4 year college to complete the upper division requirements. Degrees are great but we all need SKILLS to pay the BILLS. :)
"SKILLS to pay the BILLS."
I like that one.
Please don’t do a coding bootcamp. They cost half what a degree costs and barely make you any more marketable than being self taught.
Either commit to a 4 year degree at a university or go the self taught route.
Bootcamps were popular 10 years ago and perhaps they will be again someday if there is another developer shortage but today they are very much not worth it.
Millennials fail compared to Gen Z in this respect. They respect hard work cs Millennials who always wanted things handed to them because they got a degree. Look at how they complain about housing
You can tell from this comment and other's, that people have NO clue how hard it is to find a job in those trades. Ask any recent plumber, electrician, welder etc. Looking for work is constantly being laid-off working out of town or crappy pay. If you work for yourself is promoting online and constantly hustling. Trade work is fine but don't hype it up because you have no clue. My recommendation is get your Bachelor's and then get a trade. Even in trade jobs many ask for a Bachelor's to move up in management.
@@2311ification It’s a system OHC problem then rather than a quality problem. No one asks a plumber to write an essay, or a welder to describe biology, or a tradesman what a parabola is. All you need is common sense and a work ethic. We’re looking at the tail end of an era where they wanted college degree for everything that has stifled productivity and an eventual return to levels of employmelt and prosperity we had in the post WW2 era
I don't know why ANYONE would go to COLLEGE with THOSE prices!
For those of us in professions that require a master's or doctorate degree, I understand the necessity. However, if these degrees are not required for a particular profession, I agree with your point.
I went to college for free.
@@USNEM Yeah, so did I. The GI Bill paid for my undergrad, and the VBA paid for my master's degree.
@@Hefmod1that’s the main problem, which they did discuss. A lot of jobs, at least when millennials were coming of age required at least a 4 year degree. Not an associates. Not a portfolio. An actual degree that proved what? It could literally be for anything. Major in Recreation and leisure, liberal arts, I got a bachelors in general studies. Did any of the course work apply to the actual job? No. Not at all. But they wanted it. And that’s the biggest problem. Not just the predatory lending for college, not the insane cost of in state tuition, the fact that there weren’t any entry level jobs beyond retail or the service industry, when clearly students didn’t need the education.
@@Hefmod1It's a horrible solution to have to put yourself in the position of risking death, being forced to be involved in killing others, being exposed to burn pits, being forced to endure abusive officers and ncos, etc. to go to university. Some like myself are also medically disqualified so it is not even an option.
Vocational schools, trade schools, apprenticeships!!!
Nature is healing folks. Less pressure for people going to college is a great thing. :)
It’d be better if we just got paid more to work
@@HiDefHDMusicPREACH
College should really mainly be for those who wanna be doctors, engineers, and lawyers
Best decision I made was getting my masters in analytics after getting a business undergrad. Couldn’t agree more
As a high school teacher, I applaud this. I work with many students who would be wasting time and money going to a 4 year university to learn pretty much zilch and be sure ing in debt after graduation with little to no job opportunities. Many are enrolling in the local community college where they will actually learn useful skills to go into pretty much any field. All that for less time and money.
“Useful skills” like welding? The thing that is 99.999% done by robots for pennies in Chinese factories? 😂
You can’t figure out how to put one piece of metal against the other? 😂
Did you need to take a class to learn that water goes “down” and air goes “up” to become a plumber too? 😂
@@HiDefHDMusic listen, you smart person, this is just an example there’s also carpentry, there’s also other types of trades like electrician and mechanic… all of these things are more complicated than just welding. One thing was just an example people like you are so negative and don’t understand. Examples are the reason why so many people probably think that they can’t do something when they just need to have perspective.
@@IRLSuperb there’s no point in being a carpenter because 99% of carpentry is done by a machine, there are no carpenters left in the US just people who design furniture on computers
@@HiDefHDMusicfalse. I do the carpentry in yachts
100% support this. College isn’t for everyone, the experience is cool though.
_''College isn’t for everyone,''_ What a logic in this statement? If it's real, this guys of Gen Z are not being practical, but dilettantes, while average joe is cleaning septics, welding and puting his health into degradation to embrace America's false narrative of sucesss for everyone who deserve it. It's pathetic.
College is for everyone. Everyone can get a degree and benefit for life having it, it never expires or goes away. The only people who college isn’t for is if they’re not disciplined or educated
@@0IIIIII well that’s just stupid and baseless.
@@noneofyourbusiness3385 bro it is totally true. There is no career that doesn’t benefit from having a college degree.
It's overrated also I have heard stories of people not getting an actual job that they major in. Also my mother's friend all of a sudden developed a superiority complex just because she's attending college now. Me? I want money to work for me instead me working for the money.
This is awesome. College is still good for certain paths but it should never be the default for everyone. It should make sense for your chosen path. Happy to see people look at vocational schools more.
Everyone who wants to should go to college for free
Your society isn’t worth contributing to otherwise
Graduated with a marketing degree in 2021, but haven't found a job yet that even requires a bachelors. I can see why people are becoming disillusioned with college. I just started with a paving company with the construction trade. Wish me luck.
Marketing is a niche and low paying job field. I don’t recommend it. I suggest you get a master’s in accounting or an MBA.
GOD Bless
As a Hispanic, you don't need luck to suceed in the construction trade. You're guaranteed success there.😂
Bad stereotypical hispanic joke. 🤦😆
On a serious note, I wish you best of luck! 👏🏻👏🏻
Good luck, brrroooo!!!!
Hopefully you can move up into management.
Gen Zers are making the right choice. I'm one of those recent graduates who can't find any work in Business/Finance, and I started searching very early before graduation. Good thing I didn't graduate with thousands of dollars in debt. It's not worth it.
That's worrying, I'm on the GI Bill getting a general business, and I worry about getting a job after 4 years of schooling
@@timothypaulino8454 Switch degrees to something in STEM, or switch to a different field. General business degree graduates are not worth much. I don't say that to be mean, I say that because I know a good number of Business degree grads who have been working 5-9 years in pretty meh jobs making pretty meh money, having a hard time making ends meet. You don't need a 4 year degree to work.
@@timothypaulino8454forget it. I’m in the same boat. Job market is awful. C/o 2021. Welding is the move rn.
There is no work in business/finance 😂 those aren’t real jobs, that’s how rich people pretend to work so they can pay themselves 😂
I'm going to transfer to a four-year for CIS since computers and video games have permeated my life but I'm also thinking of how to fill in a certificate or AS for community college. Something that not only involves stuff like Aerospace Engineering but also trade skills like general metals that has a bit of welding involved.
This is to learn something I can do with my hands that makes the industries I grew up around possible in the first place.
Also to not just feel like I'm mooching off of the life's work of others that made it happen with a better-managed education system than my generation had after the Recession hit.
It's practically a generational thing. From the '90s onward, working in a trade was being looked down on. The problem stemmed from people wanting to feel superior to others that they are intelligent enough to hack it out in college. Where I currently live in Switzerland, I've seen that the value that they have here is that working honestly is honest work. The highest paid position is a person who mounts walls for prefab apartments.
We need to get back to that.
Even in the 80's working in a trade was looked down upon, this is what shop classes were starting to be canceled. .
It was freaking annoying as hell. I was pressured super hard to attend college, but the majority of every economy relies on blue-collar worker. We have to stop playing those games..
Not to mention the very simple demand/supply reasoning. If more people go white collar route, which means less people in blue collar. But white collar industries grow and that growth needs a blue collar workforce, guess which sector now ends up with high demand but low supply?
I think one of the reasons why college was so pressured and praised during that era (late 80s to the 00s) was because the (American) workforce were in high demand for degrees.
I heard stories growing up, where people of the same profession, those who didn’t have degrees were turned down or let go compared to the those who did. I’ve also heard other stories where people of the same field/profession, the ones who didn’t have a degree but was more experienced ended up just training all the college grads who in turn moved up to the higher positions (basically they were training their future boss).
At the time, you couldn’t get a well/respected/high-paying job without a degree. Practically all high positions looked for degrees, and your chances of getting hired/promoted were much higher in having one.
It was only in the 2010s when the workforce started realizing that experience mattered, and started putting less emphasis on having a degree. Some jobs that used to require a degree for the position, now just wants you to at least have two years of experience and certification.
Yes, having a degree is good and will definitely help get your foot in the door (with a good chance of being hired), but now most places just want an experienced worker who knows what they’re doing, instead of spending their time and resources on a fresh out of college graduate who needs to be trained and has little to no experience.
@@trika91they actually want both now. You need a degree and experience of some sort.
It’s young Gen Z men who are primarily ditching college.
This is not a good thing.
@@zaneshark …it is good of they pick up a trade. Better than getting a useless degree
@@zaneshark Why?
@@TiktokBro154
Education broadens the mind and is empowering.
It is not in the interest of men to become second class citizens. If this trend continues, that is precisely what they will become.
@@zaneshark But they are going to trade school so they are still doing some thing with their lives. And not because someone is in trades means that they are dumb. Are you calling tradesmen dumb?
As a Gen-Z girl who just graduated college in December my biggest advice is DO NOT GO. Unless you’re going into the medical field it is the HUGE WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY.
I currently can’t find a job because I’m either over qualified or not qualified enough. I’m a first gen graduate who comes from poverty and I am still poor even tho I’m educated. College is truly a scam and I wish I got my 5 years back so I could’ve spent that time supporting my mother.
damn, im sorry you had to experience this. i hope you were able to get it paid off through scholarships
Changed my major from psych to human services. Not a chance I’d find a job with a BA in clinical psych
@RandomUser_360it’s capitalism, nobody is happy except the rich, don’t pretend that people working for Amazon and Walmart are happy and rich because it’s not true
I needed a degree to work in marketing. And I also want to go into senior leadership. All the jobs I apply to require a Bachelor’s.
What was your major?
Colleges also need to change, streamline and taylor classes for degrees and stop making people take classes that have nothing to do with it....
I agree
Yea just an excuse to make us pay more 🙄
aka Gender Studies
No they need to be nationalized and taxpayer funded
I agree. When I got my associate degree I had to take gym credit. Why? I don’t know
This conversation needs much more attention. Morning joe talked about why young men say they are more conservative than young women, feeling displaced. We all need plumbers, builders etc., with new age and computerized/robotic skills. It's past time we stopped pushing doctors, lawyers, and hedge fund managers as the 'GOLD' 'standard. This is also true for women. Riding the T home one night I noticed a woman my age wearing a hard hat, tools and lunch pail in hand sitting.on the train floor, exhausted. I struck up a simple conversation with her and was truly impressed. But I can't help but feel our society has gone overboard with the meaning of 'real' success. The guy or gal that builds your car, empties your septic, delivers your food, raises your kids, dresses up and walks your puppies etc., make the doctors life, lawyers life, parents life able to function. Think about what elitism has done
Societies need doctors and plumbers (Don't know about hedge fund managers tho lol). No need to push one over the other. The goal should be to make education affordable for whatever path young adults decide to take, bring back apprenticeships and other opportunities for young people to get a foot in the door, whether they want to study medicine or welding.
@@relaxlibrary4249people say things like this but don’t support a higher minimum wage for “essential workers”…
The best comment on here 🙌🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Good! Gen Z is waking up to college degree scams!
More people are ditching 4 year colleges for an actual job too!
Lol
🤨
What do you mean an actual job? I have a degree and work in a job that involves constantly reviewing financial regulations. I guess that's not actual work.
If you went to college, you might have learn to not make poor comparisons. A 4 year degree is different from getting a job
Fixing the pipes under the toilet is house chores, not a real job 😂 do you think playing with Lego is education too?
If you do decide that college is the way. I recommend going to a community college first, its way cheaper.
Your GPA does not include CC credits,
It is marked on your transcript, as CC transfer credit.
Your future employer sees it.
Some school refuse to accept transfer credits,
It dilutes the name of the school.
I am 26… I went to a 4 year state university 45 minutes from my parents house. I lived at home and just paid tuition and books with a scholarship. 2 years in I was so unchallenged I almost quite cuz it was pointless and everyone was just partying which I wasn’t into. I did summer school and graduated a year early. I wish I had just gone to trade school all in all. I worked in news for a little but most of my career was just spent doing gig work based on my social following. There are some degrees specifically in STEM that college is really needed but business school, humanities, it’s a joke! You’ll learn more making a business than reading about how to make a business, you can take CZcams video courses to learn history, English, etc… my generation is waking up and figuring out not all degrees are equal and trade school is not some drop out path. 😊
Yes, you can educate yourself by watching CZcams videos but when it comes down to it, an individual with a bachelor’s degree in history or whatever will always be taken more seriously than someone who is self proclaimed “educated online”.
I would have liked to see the numbers disaggregated by sex. I have a sneaking suspicion that with the 60/40 split in universities, most of this vocational school surge is young men.
Was thinking the same thing
I think the universities are going to see a bigger drop in men going forward and multiple colleges are going to keep going bankrupt
Also it sucks for the dating market because majority of women want guys who are higher than them in education or at least have a BA.
@@MSaleh-vy8rrWomen want men with a career that provides a comfortable lifestyle financially. No average woman is turning down a high earning trade worker. I have a MA in accounting & my husband is a master plumber/veteran (no college degree) who earns well into the 6 figures after taxes.
@@MSaleh-vy8rr Y’all do anything to complain about the dating market that you’re most likely responsible for polluting. No women has ever cared what a man does as long as he can provide security. Y’all make every decision in life based on if a woman will approve of it. Learn to love yourself.
Two significant problems with 2-8 year colleges:
-Most are receiving subsidies form the government
-Too many people getting "educated" and prestigious degrees means that it means nothing since anyone is able to get some high degree
This is what I've been talking about since I've graduated from University: Today's students can't afford a traditional four-year college degree because it's too expensive; and a job isn't guaranteed. I tip my hat to the community college/trade school students!!!
These are the smart people!!!👍👍👍
As a former teacher, I'll admit, I had a lot of truthful moments in my classroom with my students. I revealed truthful moments about my old profession along with many others. We talked about money and opportunity. We talked about how big a deal it was to make a certain salary. Many of my students were surprised when they discovered what jobs are possible to obtain a lifestyle they want. I was the music teacher.
I wish i was your student !!
My kid took advanced placement classes in high School and graduated with honors. Harvard U asked him to apply but he chose not to go to college because of the cost. US universities are there for the money not to serve the community.
Harvard is needs-based, they would have met your financial needs if you completed the FAFSA & CSS profile. People don’t realize this and 3.6 BILLION dollars went unused last year.
I work in a chemical plant making around $175K per year. My wife has a masters, making around $100K and my mother-in-law has a PhD making about $70K. Not to mention all of the time and money you waste going to college...
I think you make more because of the risks, so is it really worth it? What good is 75k extra if you'll have to spend more in the hospital if you get sick because of the chemicals you work with?
@AndreiPopescu There is risk to get physically hurt in the field, but really it's less dangerous than driving in your car everyday. No getting sick from chemicals because workplace safety in the US is much better these days. I work in the control room so my risk is getting bored, falling asleep, and running out of stuff to watch on CZcams because the reactor is running well. Oh and we invest most of our money so I've been a millionaire since 30 years old.
But long term, your mother-in-law will make significantly more than you and her work will be less labor intensive meaning she will have more time spent with family while you’re out being exposed to harsh chemicals in a plant all day.
Potentially…. She’ll only make more if she moves into university admin. Other than that OP will probably make more (it’s hard to go over that 175k threshold). That’s a lot of money.
None of the three of you are making bad money. The other piece of it you don't mention is how meaningful and fulfilling do each of you find your respective jobs?
More money is nice, but bear in mind that working means you give up the best hours of your life for the best part of your life. 40 years or so is a very long slog if you hate your job or it bores you to no end.
While some employers drop the college requirement IN THE JOB POSTING, recruiters still want PHD level college and 10 years experience in a technology that is 6 months old.
Education is a moral good is its own right, we CAN have trades persons who are BOTH skilled and educated, and these programs already exist.
Last I checked, education is free. It's called the Internet. I taught myself history, home improvement, photography, programming, etc. I am more skilled that most "college educated" professionals out there.
@@untouchable360x It's cool that people can learn themselves these days. But unfortunately a lot of people just use the internet to further entrench their stupidity and confirm their priors. It's hard for most people to acquire good critical thinking or to expand your intellectual horizons from just teaching yourself. The internet is full of people who "did their own research" and just became more confidently stupider
The challenge with vocational school is that we all need more education today than high school provides, but I see the appeal with the costs. I'm over $120k in debt with another 90k incoming. Luckily, the field I'm in, 250k to 400k is pretty normal after a few years. So I'll be fine, but most can;t stomach these costs, so as a society, we are becoming less educated. This is why Europeans are looked at as "more sophisticated". College is reasonable or free there. We need to get these costs under control. Right now, the rest of the world looks at Americans in two categories: a small group of very smart people leading the world in their fields, and the vast majority of people are ignorant and dumb.
🤯 what field are you in?
what field?
You think you know how all of America is perceived by Europe and how all of Europe is perceived by America? That's a lot of assumptions being presented as facts.
The promise of a “250+ job upcoming” has been used to justify a LOT of people going into debt and never making that much… good luck…
Unless it’s medicine, in which case pass your exams and good luck!
Good Lord, I'm about to graduate from the most expensive law school in the country and don't have that much student debt! I assume you're also doing law, maybe your undergrad cost more than mine...
But I don't agree with the "ignorant and dumb" thing you said. (While I sometimes feel like the whole country is full of idiots, college degrees wouldn't help them.) There are many clever people who choose not to go to college. My brother is an electrician - he never did well on tests and growing up with me as a little sister didn't help, but he's actually very smart. Like me, he studies different subjects for fun in his free time, reading various books and articles. And he makes good money as an electrician.
There's no need to force people to learn multiple subjects that they'll never need outside of college. We need a system that allows kids to choose either a college-path in high school or a vocational-path. If they're going to be a carpenter or an MRI technician, they probably don't need to know as much about poetry, Greek philosophers and physics as a kid planning to go to college. As an avid hater of poetry, I can confidently say that it has literally never come in handy in anything I've done outside of school.
In the 80s, I went to a two-year technical fashion school in Philadelphia. My Excellent teachers gave me well-rounded skill sets to succeed in the U.S. apparel industry.
It also proved to be above and beyond the knowledge provided to college graduates back then.
Here in Québec, fashion schools are professional school departments within universities.
That's what happens when you put profits over actual education.
Actual education is available online for free. You’re paying for credentials by going to college, not education.
I feel like I wasted my time and money going to college, it’s been going on three years and I can still barely hold myself up, let alone live comfortably/succeed as was falsely advertised all my life
People forget just how hard the trades are on the body
Also Cheap labor flowing through the southern border is putting American 🇺🇸 blue collar workers out of work.
True but modern medicine has come a long way and probably will get even better as gen z ages
People forget how sitting behind a desk all day has a cost, too.
@@northerniltree Sure, but you can always pick up a hobby to try to offset that
It’s not that hard, I’ve been an electrician for almost 10 years. The only harm that’s done is from myself sitting at home instead of working out when I’m taking time off. Should probably start hitting the gym.
Trade jobs don’t pay the most it’s good enough for a decent living in most places and their job security is second to none.
They also have the advantage of being mobile in the sense that you can find work in the industry anywhere rather then the same dozen or so high cost city’s college degrees in blue collar work force you to work at.
I graduated college in 1979 and 1983 back when college costs were sane. Even separate from costs though, the push for everyone to go to college was unwise. Then and now, college is probably appropriate for 25% of high school graduates. The cultural dismissal of trade training between high school and college and even on-the-job training programs was a huge economic, psychological, and cultural mistake. It’s nice to see a change in career planning but it is 40 years past due.
Smart move 👌
I would like to see all public universities and colleges offer strong vocational programs with generous public funding.
Not possible, all the tax paying money is being laundered through the “war”
TOO LATE! Private equity investors are getting into the trade businesses too and driving out local businesses and soon raising tuition costs!
Big time tradesman school like plumbing diesel mechanic will cost 40k now plus then 4 years in the field before you make real money
@@Brsrafal you won’t be making money once the owners of these companies decides to suppress wages. You try starting your own business and they’ll drive you out.
Plus all the cheap labor coming from the southern border is putting Skilled American trades out of work.
I'm an educator with a Master's degree and wish I had the job opportunities young people do today. On the negative side college tuition is getting unsustainable. One should not be facing crippling debt at the mercy of the banks. Our society needs educated citizens, but we are not going to get that if they can't find jobs or owe tens of thousands in debt. I would definitely look at the vocational trades if I was starting my career.
Been averaging 150k a year as an IBEW electrician in California .
We also have 3 different pensions when retired.
Start at 6 am off at 2pm .
Also having been in construction for 25 years . I am renovating my house by myself .
It’s beneficial
financially and doing all the work I know it done right and the satisfaction of completing projects.
150k in California? Isn't that bad?
@@ha-kh7ef it is definitely not high income in California.
I would consider it middle class .
I’m in the union too , cmon man it’s not always like that , you’re in California, are you residential or industrial?
@@AzSureno commercial .
What’s not always like that ?
@@JAYY_JAYY electricians got a good package , 150k for 8 hr shifts is pretty good especially for commercial, I’m union and making that is me working 7/12s for the whole year
I'm college educated, with a liberal arts degree. I fell for the trap. It's good to see that there actually are some people not wasting their early adulthood for once. If I could go back to being fresh out of high school - trade school is where i would be headed to.
well duh you went for a liberal arts degree what did you expect? 😂
@@memodelamo At the time i was a teenager. I didn't even know what the term "liberal" even meant.
I mean with all the Cheap Labor flooding in from the Southern Border it’s putting 🇺🇸Trades out of work
Colleges did this to themselves, the cost of a four year tuition is ridiculous. Education has become a business in America.
soo is gen z going in trades a bad thing?
When I was in high school, before we went off to college, the people who I would eventually learn under as a student who ran my school's thirteenth-year program noted that college is a business. They were a great bunch to work with while I got my GEs in a familiar environment for almost free since a lot of the costs were taken care of by the state of CA. We took community college classes and in some cases went on campus while in other cases we were on our own campus and it was a great way to go to school without feeling as if you were accumulating debt because you could just focus, work with your classmates from high school, and progress forward. I earned a two-year degree and I'm happy for it.
I'm going to transfer soon, but I've got trade-related classes at the back of my mind to add to a CIS degree.
A 4 year degree typically costs less than 400k. It’s still very affordable
Some actual good news. Glad to see and hear that more young peoole are doing the math and choosing trade school over college.
Good. HVAC technicians make a LOTTA money.
Hell yeah, im a junior in high school and I applied for a scholarship to get an HVAC certificate in a community college once I graduate.
@@thru7887 I worked for an HVAC company when I was younger. The owner was a millionaire. Work hard brother! It’s out there for you.
Hey, Im looking into HVAC as a career. Do you know any good schools to go to in Toronto, Ontario?
How much so?
What do u consider a lot?
Hmmm I don’t know about this one. I think a certain stratum might be doing this but I’m not sure how many parents across the board are allowing their kids to forgo college in favor of trade school.
It is long past time to A) end all college loans; B) hold colleges legally liable for their work product and career promises.
I graduated with a bachelors in business administration with a focus in green and sustainable management. I work as a garbage truck driver. My bosses have told me plenty of times, if I want to do office work , but I actually don’t want to be around them and their BS office politics. Also the starting salary is not enough. I can get paid more doing overtime with the hourly job out in the field. If that’s the case I rather just keep on being the garbage man than an office worker.
It's about time. Not everyone should be going to college. A lot of kids really don't have the grades for it but they're pressured to do it throughout high school, making life a lot harder on them than it needs to be. And then colleges have been taking advantage of this pressure to accept more and more kids just for the money. You can make good money in many trades. My brother worked in furniture refinishing for a while and then switched and became an electrician. He's always struggling to find good helpers.
Swap “Gen Z” out with “Men”, then the title will be correct .
And yet the stock pictures they use in the story are women with ponytails wearing a welding mask.
This is so true. It is sad as well.
It's not unheard of though. Both my sisters have more hands-on experience with power tools than I, and they both did psychology degrees which ended up as careers behind laptops doing UX analysis. I ended up doing more project management and pulling wiring despite more formal training in the Army.
@@doujinflip , its not take away from women in trades, but most social services are dedicated towards helping women and children under the pretense that women are most affected by environmental and economical stresses. Statements like, “one in 5 homeless people are homeless” and the like, are deliberate and diminish the needs of men and boys, and hurt the society. Men, over time, vacate places where this is no need of them, even more so if they are adverse consequences of being men.
This is a smarter move. High priced colleges not worth it anymore.
I got my Bachelor’s in 3 years with no debt, I studied hard, got my scholarships, grants, and financial aid. I disciplined myself and made the choice to not take out those student loans. College is not making students go into debt, it’s the students personal choices that’s resulting in them going into debt. I’m a huge advocate for Higher Learning. You have study 📚 The skilled trades also. Either way it goes you’re going to have to pick up that book 📚 #proudgator #proudeagle
That's because you're told that your 4 year (most likely 5 year) degree means nothing, that most of what you learned will never be used in the real world, sacked with crippling debt, live in an economy where cost of living and buying a house is almost impossible for those graduating, where 45% of college graduates are underemployed 10+ years later, and in a job market where you're either offered low, minimum wage, or unpaid internships for all of those years of hard work & studying. The labor market is oversaturated with employees & not enough good liveable job opportunities.
Looks like it's a world issue.
If only schools hadn't have gotten rid of all of the shop classes to focus on "STEM"...even STEM students can benefit from shop classes and hands-on learning.
Gen X Blue collar worker of 24 years. We are finally getting new young people after a shortage of 15 years. We have been working major overtime for years. Way before nurses and teacher shortages. During Covid I still had to work 6 days a week. The shortage made great changes to our work. I was recruited during Covid. Was given a nice bonus and my work pays for my kids college. I am treated well and don’t have to work overtime or any weekends anymore. I have seen parents tell their kids college was the only way since 2000. So many fields were flooded. My wife’s son became a pharmacist. He had to wait 2 years before a full time position opened. 10 years ago you had a job right away. Being blue collar has saved me so much money. Car repair, home, yard etc. All I hear about from white collar neighbors is how expensive blue collar services are…
And now trade schools are going to up their price by the time alpha comes up
Its almost like your not meant to have higher education and they are making more expensive for that reason
only people from rich families deserve to go to college obviously
It's called rent-seeking and it's not unique to higher education. Even the trades can fall for it where money is involved.
Isn't every profession a trade? Whether it requires a college degree or not.
Good for them! They told millennials that we needed a college degree to make money meanwhile we’re in mountains of debt! This is a good thing and colleges need to actually give their students what they need it took me 7 years to land a career job and only after getting a masters. I came from a low middle class family and couldn’t afford that type of lifestyle waiting for the dream to come. America, do better please!!
School is too expensive.
I live in Québec (French part of Canada): while school is not expensive here, everything else is.
@@Suite_annamite everything is expensive in the U.S.
It makes more sense to go to trade school. Work for a company and let them pay for higher education.
I make over 80k a year as an automation technician. I have two associate degrees in industrial electronics and electrical technology. No student loans needed. Could make a lot more if I got overtime.
I could see this field growing as companies move towards automation. While automation can be scary because it's unknown, folks have to remember that someone has to program, repair, and maintain the machines that do the work.
@relaxlibrary4249 that's right. Robots can't fix themselves. Not yet anyways.
In 1980, my first job out of college, $100K.
Nice . I made 90k my first year out of community college with two associate degree as well. One in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration & the other in Building Automation systems.
Finally some common sense in education!!! I seriously regret not becoming a general contract
The less competition the better.
College degrees have become debased in the US. They aren't going to help you much for the most part.
@@mikicerise6250 maybe if you major in underwater basket weaving.
@@bngr_bngr Hey, the less competition the better. 😉🧺
exactly 💀
@@bngr_bngr College graduates earn less than truck drivers on average
It's a pragmatic decision, but it is the result of shortsighted education policy, the fixation with running higher education like a business instead of recognizing that it is a critical national defense resource. America is not going to be able to compete in the global economy if Americans with the aptitude , dedication and interest are being dissuaded from pursuing higher education due to education costs.
About time!
That is really good to hear.
Majority of young women are pursuing higher education. Women now outnumber men at Universities.
Young men are being led down a path to servitude.
Do men really want to become second class citizens?
I’m happy about this. I think we need more skilled trades people. Also, with less people attending Universities, the value of a University education will go up.
Also, and a lot of people do not know this, and I don’t know why. But most high school students are not ready for college. I don’t work in education, but I work in a related field. The kids who are “University Ready” are identified in the 10th grade. Districts use what’s called GE requirements to determine this. Those students are then placed in college prep like AP courses. The issue is that High school counselors have neglected the non-college ready students, so the students themselves and the parents assume that they should just attend Universities. When in reality, based off their grades and performance they should be prepared for trade school, apprenticeship, military service, or straight to work. Based off their performance they will most likely not succeed in a university setting. The job of High School Counselors is not to get kids to College, it’s to get get high school graduates career ready.
University was always suppose to be for the intellectually gifted and economically prepared. Not everyone. Education has done a poor job of preparing students for professional success by not informing students that options outside of University would be a better fit for them.
I do not believe college is pushed on everyone narrative. If a student is not placed in AP courses in High School, the School district does not believe they will succeed in college. They simply neglect them. But the schools should discuss the other professional options.
So they're skipping college to get vocational training...at community colleges.
Do people not realize that everyone goes into debt for college? Some of us actually have money and don’t care about the costs…
Good for young people, I hope they always value their work highly, and they don’t make the mistakes of older people constantly settling for less than their worth. Knowledge and experience is extremely valuable and we constantly have to remind ourselves of our own value and self worth.
I graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering with only $13K in student loan debt. I worked my way through college and had co-workers who graduated with no debt at all. I work as a programmer today making a good six figure salary. The idea of that today is just a fantasy. First off, you're going to graduate with six figures of debt if you go to college for sure and good luck finding a job in this market. If I was graduating high school today, I think I'd train to become a pilot. While there are no guarantees in life, I think I'd love the idea of traveling the world. I don't think I'd plow head first into college and rack up a bunch of debt with no guarantee of finding a job after. I DEFINITELY wouldn't do so to get a degree in art history or something else that, while mentally enriching, doesn't necessarily translate to a good-paying job when you get out.
I agree with you. Before deciding to do any College programs, we should always do our research first.
I think the ROI for an ME degree is still positive. The higher costs though necessitate that you really know that you want that degree and can see it through to the end. Even quitting a year or two in can lead you into a lot of debt.
I think most of us would do it differently than the first time. I personally would take a few years just to work and maybe take a class or two - doing that I would try to figure out what I wanted to do. Some many more opportunities that exist for these grads now than 20 years ago when I finished school.
VERY Few will make it in their apprenticeship, even if they get it after trade school! YOU have to be very tough and very thick skin to survive in the trades world, and like 90% are all on drugs.
Hey don’t be telling our secrets bro , those lines are needed when working in a boiler outage or paper mill push me through those 16hr shifts
@@AzSureno :D LOL
> 50% of those college students just coast thru it too. Having a smaller, more selective, student body would be good for most universities and the few students actually paying attention...
Car mechanic shops are now getting $100.00 an hour
Ok, but are they getting 6 figure bonuses? What about six figure sock options? A blue collar job will never be equal to a white collar corporate job
4-year college = 20 years paying debt. In addition AI can't replace trade jobs.
lol this been practical since like 4 years ago. It's just becoming PAINFULLY OBVIOUS at this point.
When I was growing up, people told me to go to college and that trades were somehow 'less than ' because they didn't give you a degree. Currently in landscaping and not drowning in debt. College isn't really worth it and that elitism that you have that money to blow on an adult daycare center didn't seem like a good enough reason imo. Unless you wanna get into a STEM field, it's not a worthwhile investment.
For most people a college degree is similar to a Louis Vuitton handbag.
Nothing wrong with getting into a career where you need to roll up your sleeves.
I have an As degree, i was lucky because 1.i lived at home and didn't need to pay rent, 2.i took dual enrollment at my high school.3. i was able to get a scholarship to finish my degree. But im in fast food now because having poor social skills doesn't help me. I can understand going straight to voc school if you need money to live and they'll provide paid internships.
As a mechanical engineer, I appreciate a well done weld. It's not just a skill, it's an art.
What's even crazier is that a good wielder could make way more than a mechanical engineer.
I'm glad this story is out! I'm considering getting another trade, 3rd one! Great segment!
Yeah the only reason rn those trades are high paying is because they have a shortage what's going to happen when it's gets saturated
This is what im thinking. Like most young men i know are aiming for welding
The colleges are out of touch on the difference between knowledge and degree. With internet you can get any knowledge you want in your home, so why spend years and debt for a piece of paper .
The university has not kept up with the changing times.
1. a piece of paper>> plate of Silver
2. Very hard to learn from the internet, ie. vector Calculus for gas heat transfer.
3. What if the degree is FREE?
@@aolvaar8792 most college courses have you in auditoriums with hundreds of other students, its essentially the same as watching a youtube video except you cant pause and rewind it, and working with the other viewers is considered cheating.
Just be wary of for profit trade schools.Instead take vocational courses at your local community college. You can still take on high debt at these for profit places.
One minute you are saying gen z is lazy and doesn't want to work. The next minute you are saying the are going to no to trade schools.....🙄
Millennial here... I recommend A&P schools.. There are plenty of A&Ps retiring the coming years
Academia has become in career seeking what upscale restaurants are to dining. You pay $80 for a 4oz steak on a gold plate. You leave hungry, unsatisfied, and poorer. But hey, you paid for the 'experience' so you've got bragging rights and not much else. "I've got a bachelors degree and ended up a coffee barista"
I’d still rather eat there than at McDonald’s.
How about CDL school? Trucking is viable also. Wish i had considered that before.
Still remember all the Lincoln Tech ads on TV. Ask a long time trucker what the current reality is all about.
@@brodriguez11000 What’s the current reality?
This is all exactly what I experienced.
But, there's one more point. Because college has been so emphasized, the market is now swamped with degrees and trades are facing massive shortages in applicants.
Supply and demand. A degree isn't worth as much as it once was. Meanwhile, trades often can have far higher pay.
Do you want to go to college only to be left jobless, in massive debt, and likely working at a job (eventually) with no degree needed.
Or you can spend far less money, learn a much more practical skill, and be virtually guaranteed a high paying job.
I even went to college for aerospace engineering. That's a pretty good career path. But, the military taught me to be an aircraft mechanic and I gave up college to work full-time.
I'm now far better off as a result.
Sure, I might have earned more in engineering. But, it would have been far more difficult and time consuming.
In my 48-month apprenticeship class for a station electrician
only one in 20 did not have an engineering degree.
@@aolvaar8792 Nice. That's a good degree and a good trade job.
But, does a station electrician job require said degree in electrical engineering?
@@johnc1014 No, My process engineering
B.S. got me in, I had 3 EE courses as part of my degree.
As usual the news didn’t do any actual investigative reporting and mention that most trade schools cost just as much if not more than getting a bachelor’s degree at an accredited college. Also entry lvl jobs in the trades pay ridiculously low and require a lot of overhead such as having your own truck and tools.
This you just accumulate it quicker since tradeschool takes half the time or less than traditional college and an apprenticeship is needed after for decent pay
Hmm no. My school costs under 3000 and I’m making 100,000 in hvac. So maybe you should think before sticking your foot in your mouth. Clearly you haven’t looked at every single trade school or sector. Typical
@@jmatthews5685 same old ruse. If a certain sector sees an uptick in wages they use media to create a false narrative to flood the market and drive wages back down.
@@noneofyourbusiness3385 congratulations on making $100k! Now try to save as much as you can, crawling around on your hands and knees in attics and breathing insulation fibers is going to create a lot of health problems as you age. Not to mention the media driven narrative, that education is bad and trades are good is going to flood the market with 20 yr olds that want your job and are willing to work for peanuts. Worst case scenario you could transfer over to being a podiatrist or orthodontist since you know so much about mouth and feet, and have 3000 education.
@@youknowkbbabyI’ve been in the trades 25+ yrs. This new trend of downplaying the importance of education, and over inflating the salaries of tradespeople is nothing more than a ruse crafted by the rich to over saturate the trades sectors to drive wages down so they can pay less to have their properties, and vehicles repaired. Also everyone seems to forget, back in 2008 the housing market crashed and most tradespeople across the country were out of work for 2-3 yrs. So the “ there’s always work in the trades” is also a lie.
Yeah it's happening here in India as well , college is a waste of time literally you just roam around in the campus when there are no classes and that is like most of the time so I have to go at around 9:30 am to around 5:30 pm it's such a waste of time , you only learn to gossip with your friends
Is computer Science worthy at India?
I dropped out 5 years ago because I didn’t understand why they’re making us relearn the basic from high school and also taking classes that has nothing to do with my major. I just wanted to be an artist and was struggling 😭😭😭
If you wanted to be an artist why would you even bother going to college? I know someone who got a studio Art degree from an expensive private University. He is now 28 and working in a coffee shop with 150k+ debt. If he didn't go to college he could have had no debt and money saved up.
@@squiggs1002 because meeting my parents expectations
Went to high school that did electrical shop. Got my endorsenent after taking the NEC Codebook exam. Passed it. Did some apprenticeship and small electrical jobs for the experience. In an airline now making way for a trade job.
Dropped out of college to pursue a career as a first responder. I have no regrets. I get 8 weeks of paid vacation, great Healthcare, a good salary, and I was paid to be trained for my job (no debt). You do not need college folks.