"Earned $100,000 at 18": Young Americans Flock to Skilled Trades Like Plumbing, Undeterred by AI

Steady Rise in Enrollment at Vocational Schools and Apprenticeship Programs

Japan Follows the US as More Young People Choose Skilled Trades

As the spread of artificial intelligence (AI) technology raises concerns about white-collar job security, more members of Generation Z in the United States are choosing skilled trades such as electrical work, plumbing, and welding instead of attending college.

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Job Insecurity and College Tuition Burdens Drive Choice of Skilled Trades: "No Immediate AI Threat"

According to The New York Times on July 13 (local time), the surge in college tuition fees combined with anxieties over job security in the age of AI is prompting young people to turn to vocational schools and technical training programs.

The number of students at public two-year schools specializing in vocational and technical education increased by approximately 20% from 2020 to 2025, and the number of enrollees in apprenticeship programs at private vocational schools continues to climb.

The high cost of college tuition is also cited as a reason for choosing skilled trades. The average cost for a four-year college education at a private university is about $200,000 (approximately 290 million won), having nearly doubled over the past three decades. In contrast, the total cost for most private vocational schools is less than $25,000 (approximately 3.7 million won).

Logan Bangert (18), a native of Los Banos, California, passed the tryouts to join the Penn State University football team, but chose a vocational school instead due to tuition costs exceeding $50,000 (about 68 million won) per year. He said, "Many people are worried about losing jobs because of AI, but at least for now, I am free from such concerns." Bangert is currently working in Houston, repairing wind turbine blades, and earns $80,000 to $90,000 a year (about 110 million to 120 million won).

Ladona Glass (23) aspired to become a youth counselor and enrolled at Mississippi State University in 2021, but left after a year to pursue a career as an electrician. She now earns $21 per hour (about 31,000 won), and is also receiving training to become a full member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). The average annual salary for electricians affiliated with IBEW reaches $90,000 (around 120 million won).

Experts point out that social perceptions surrounding the skilled trades must change. Shana Bruni, Chief Operating Officer of the nonprofit ‘Bring Back the Trades,’ commented, "In popular culture, skilled trades workers are often portrayed as lacking in intelligence," and warned that "such stereotypes are deterring young people from entering fields where labor shortages are expected in the future."

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Leaving the Office for the Field: Changing Career Choices Among Japanese Youth in the AI Era

This trend is also emerging in Japan. As anxiety about white-collar jobs grows with the proliferation of AI, more young people are choosing 'blue-collar' occupations in construction and manufacturing—jobs that have traditionally been regarded as stable 'white-collar' positions in Japan.

According to Kansai TV on July 8, this shift is particularly noticeable in the job market for high school graduates. At a large-scale job fair held in Osaka, construction companies and other field-based employers saw a steady stream of student visitors to their recruitment booths.

Wage increases are another factor boosting the appeal of blue-collar professions. Some companies now offer entry-level monthly salaries of 300,000 yen (about 2.8 million won) and pay skilled workers more than 8 million yen (about 74 million won) per year, improving working conditions. As a result, more mid-career professionals are also making the switch from office jobs into skilled trades like welding.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.