Jobber Report: Gen Z Still Overlooks Trades Despite Rising Career Uncertainty

TORONTO, CANADA — Jobber has launched its 2025 Annual Blue Collar Report, highlighting how Gen Z and their mother and father view profession selections in an economic system more and more formed by automation, rising training prices, and declining job safety. Whereas households acknowledge the long-term potential of the expert trades, many nonetheless push towards faculty by default.

“We’re at a crossroads,” mentioned Sam Pillar, CEO and Cofounder of Jobber. “Gen Z is getting into the workforce at a time of rising prices, shrinking job safety, and fast automation. But regardless of these challenges, too many are nonetheless defaulting to school. The trades symbolize a resilient, entrepreneurial path ahead, and it is time we begin treating them as first-choice careers, not fallback choices.”

Households Acknowledge Dangers of School Path

Solely 16% of fogeys consider a university diploma ensures long-term job safety, but 75% of Gen Z college students nonetheless plan to pursue one. With the true value of a bachelor’s diploma topping $500,000 when factoring in debt and misplaced revenue (in line with the Schooling Knowledge Initiative), the mismatch between perception and habits is obvious. In the meantime, layoffs in tech and finance distinction sharply with regular demand development for expert trades.

AI Underscores Trades’ Resilience

Survey findings reveal that each college students and oldsters see trades as extra immune to automation than digital roles. Seventy-seven % of Gen Z say selecting a profession protected from automation is a precedence. Dad and mom persistently rank plumbers (54%), carpenters (56%), and electricians (51%) as AI-resilient, in comparison with simply 18% for software program builders and 11% for accountants.

Stigma Nonetheless Blocks Motion

Regardless of recognizing the soundness and entrepreneurial upside of commerce work, few households actively encourage it. Seventy-three % of fogeys say commerce entrepreneurs have higher long-term safety than tech staff, however solely 7% would like their baby select a vocational path. The stigma exhibits up within the numbers: 71% of Gen Z and 63% of fogeys nonetheless see commerce college as much less favorable than college.

Excessive Faculties Promote School First

Three-quarters of Gen Z respondents mentioned college was actively promoted by college steerage counselors, whereas lower than one-third recall commerce college being inspired. Practically 60% of scholars who skipped apprenticeship applications mentioned they merely lacked sufficient info.

Robust Earnings Potential In The Trades

In accordance with Jobber information, plumbing and HVAC corporations report median product sales of $416,120 and $390,594, underscoring the incomes potential and long-term viability of commerce careers.

Firsthand Success Tales

The report consists of profiles of commerce entrepreneurs, reminiscent of Hunter Patrick of Dumpire Junk Removing, who mentioned: “Working within the trades offers good cash, however operating your personal enterprise takes it to a different degree. It’s made me extra assured, financially safe, and really pleased, all as a result of I selected to construct my future within the trades.”

Entry The Report

The 2025 Annual Blue Collar Report Powered by Jobber is on the market at jobber.com/bluecollarreport.