First National Careers In Trades Week Highlights Skilled Trades as Gateway to Prosperous Careers

To raise awareness for the abundance and evolution of trade careers, trade associations and building trade unions have come together to launch the first National Careers In Trades Week, taking place April 7-11. Activities throughout the week will increase awareness about the benefits of choosing careers in the skilled trades among job seekers and the American public, with the goal of filling thousands of positions that are essential to the country’s economic growth.

Career and technical education programs are flourishing, and careers are projected to experience faster-than-average job growth from 2023-33. They also offer earning potential that exceeds the median wage across all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

It is, perhaps for these reasons, that 89% of parents with children currently enrolled in high school or college think it’s smart for young adults to consider pursuing a career in the trades, taking into account the job market, economy and college debt. The new research that was conducted independently by Wakefield Research also revealed that 47% of parents have had their child mention wanting to go into a trade, and 86% of parents would be open or encourage it.

According to recent data, about 9 in 10 Gen Z graduates believe choosing a career in a skilled trade can offer a more reliable path to economic security than college. The findings also reveal there is near equal interest among Gen Z women and men in the trades (52% vs 57% respectively) – signaling a major shift from previous generations.

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