The following article by Katie Tabeling was published on June 19, 2024 at www.delewarebusinesstimes.com. Photo credit: Lantz Construction.
Nationwide, students are bypassing further education to get into the skilled trades
WILMINGTON — Around 2018, Jamie Chambers would have conversations with parents of Delaware middle school students, trying to explain that the jobs in the construction were more than just digging ditches on the side of the road for $7 an hour.
That perception is out there, but it’s quickly changing with the rise of Generation Z (those born in 1997 and after). After years of college enrollment declines spurred by high tuition costs coupled with the years of uncertainty of in-person education on college campuses, the enrollment at public four-year institutions across the nation rose 2.4%, according to the National Student Clearinghouse.
Last year, the National Student Clearinghouse found that vocational focused institutions continue to see steady increase in enrollment. This year, it’s estimated that 779,000 people have enrolled in vocational colleges, a 17% increase from last year.
“We’re seeing a lot more interest, specifically from generation Z. I think someone got smart and realized that you need to start marketing this on social media, and it’s working,” M. Davis & Sons, Inc. Chief Operating Officer John Gooden said. “We’ve had three senior people retire in the last four months, and we’re seeing a lot of diversity moving up the ranks now.”
In Delaware, the salaries for construction jobs have gone up but the workforce has slightly shrunk in the past five years. In 2023, the average construction worker earned $61,318 working 40-hour weeks — a 16% increase from 2016. But the workforce shrunk by 4%.
But Chambers said that major changes have made a difference with the incoming tradesmen. The Delaware Pathways program launched in 2018, exposing 23,000 students to various trades or career options that don’t require a bachelor’s degree.
“Back then, we had one person coming in for every four retiring,” Chambers said. “With all the work that’s been done in the past four years, it’s created more of a pipeline to get kids involved. The pathways program has also opened doors to broader topics, like road infrastructure or electrical work. Simulators give the option to learn about operating dump trucks or other heavy machinery.”
“Certainly, there’s a place for college degrees, but for a long time the skilled trades did not have a clear path forward,” said DOL Apprenticeship and Training Manager Jazelle Plummer. “But the pathways that start around 10th grade are really designed to get our students in the headspace of what they can do for their futures, and maybe these jobs are worth a look. Employers all have their preferences, depending on whether they want someone new to start training in their processes, or more experienced.”
While the problem of perception of low pay and hard work is still there, Chambers added that she’s having faith that the tide is turning with more outreach to middle schoolers.
“‘Earn while you learn’ is a phrase that really hits home with parents. Because a lot of kids aren’t going to college because it’s so expensive,” she said. “An apprenticeship grants the opportunity to work for five years and get your licenses. When a sixth grader goes home and shares that these jobs have health benefits, a pension and good pay, that child may not understand. But the parents will.”
M. Davis traditionally hires apprentices straight out of high school, some starting as early in their senior year in a co-op program. Gooden from M. Davis said that they do see participants coming from traditional high schools. On average, the company hires 80 apprentices in a cycle that follows a school year.
“It’s very different today than what it was 20 years ago,” he said. “People who were coming to train had a father, an uncle, a brother or someone working in construction trades. It’s become a different animal, and it’s moved beyond schools and into a lot of other programs.”
Gooden said that marketing is key to continuing the upward trend, especially having companies do it themselves.
“We’re on Instagram, but we’re also thinking outside the box,” he said. “We’ve got like 15 sophomores coming to see electrical and welding in a summer camp. Seeing that first hand and offering an opportunity to try and wire a switch are critical.”
