By Carl Murawski, Licensed Electrician and Construction Coordinator
There is an unsettling workforce gap in the skilled trades sector in the US today. Recent statistics released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that there are 400,000 unfilled trade jobs. Experts predict that if nothing changes, the number could reach 2 million over the next decade.
A number of issues are contributing to the growing gap, including an aging workforce and a surge in infrastructure spending. But one of the biggest problems, and one that could easily be remedied, is the poor opinion many have of a trade school education.
The narrative on trade schools needs to change
The dominant narrative in the US public education system suggests that college preparation is the ultimate goal of a high school education. The federal government has reinforced this narrative for decades. Educational initiatives, such as the No Child Left Behind movement and federal financial aid efforts, have primarily encouraged students to pursue a four-year degree.
Whether intentional or not, the efforts made to promote a college education have tarnished the reputation of trade school training. As the benefits of college were promoted, trade school was left looking like a consequence rather than an opportunity.
Generation X and Millennials, if they were aware of trade school opportunities at all, generally heard about and regarded them as a last resort for people who didn’t fit the traditional classroom mold. Trades were presented as a “less-than” (rather than an alternative) track that could be used to reach the same destination afforded by a college degree.
If the gap is going to be filled to avoid damaging economic slowdowns in the US, the narrative needs to change. Just as the federal government has contributed to the cultural attitude regarding a college degree, it can now join in a much-needed movement to elevate the value of skilled trades in the minds of those preparing to enter the workforce.
The best approach to inspiring greater engagement
Greater earning potential was a dominant theme that played into the narrative promoting colleges over trades. Students were told that trade jobs locked them into a limited pay scale that was nowhere near what a college degree could net them.
Today, the pay divide isn’t nearly what it once was, thanks to higher demand for blue-collar positions. Still, a narrative that focuses strictly on what blue-collar positions might pay sells short the full potential of a career in trades.
The best way for the federal government to inspire more interest in trades is to tell the whole story. The first job after trade school, just like one’s first job after college, is only the beginning. While it can provide lifelong earnings for those who are satisfied with staying put, it can also open the door to gray-collar jobs, such as estimating, project management, and construction coordination.
Students need to hear that the trades may be where they begin, but it doesn’t need to be where they end. It can serve as a launchpad for entrepreneurship, providing the skills and experience necessary to start their own business. By presenting it as a pathway to advancement and opportunity, the government can help the trade sector attract ambitious workers.
Another step the federal government can take to increase interest in trade jobs is reframing them as “smart work.” The picture painted in the past makes it seem like working in trades is nothing to be proud of. The reality, as those who work in the trade sector know, is that the work is challenging, engaging, and essential.
Trade jobs play a vital role in the overall US economy, but they’ve been presented as something that students should avoid as they seek to map out a profitable and purposeful career. It’s time for that narrative to change. Trade work is no less critical than office work of any kind, and it deserves a better lens.
– Carl Murawski is a Licensed Electrician and Construction Coordinator
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