Trades make a comeback with Gen Z workers

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Axios

America’s skilled trades — from plumbing to welding to construction — need more workers as boomers retire. Gen Z-ers are stepping up to fill the gaps.

The big picture: Enrollment in vocational programs and applications for trade jobs are ticking up as younger people look to start their careers without the sky-high cost of a four-year college degree.

• "We're finally seeing a more than subtle change within our society," says Robb Sommerfeld, co-founder of the National Center for Craftsmanship, which provides vocational training at high schools among other services. "More and more students and their parents see alternatives."

By the numbers: Vocational training programs are seeing student numbers rise as enrollment falls at four-year and community colleges, The Wall Street Journal’s Te-Ping Chen reports.

• Enrollment in vocational programs jumped 16% last year, according to National Student Clearinghouse.
• The median age of workers in a number of trades, like carpentry and HVAC maintenance, is falling from the mid 40s to early 40s or even high 30s.