Blue-Collar Boom: How Gen Z is Shaping the American Workforce

In the United States, more young people opt for technical jobs like welding and plumbing instead of college.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 1st (local time) that a growing number of younger generations prefer technical jobs such as welding and plumbing in an article titled “How Gen Z Is Becoming the Toolbelt Generation.” Generation Z, a term referring to those born in the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, is now in their 20s.

Over the past few decades, the perception has spread that the return of a college degree has decreased compared to the rising cost of tuition. In addition, the WSJ reported that the negative image of technical jobs is disappearing as jobs like welding and plumbing can provide high income. The increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) plays a role in this shift. While AI can replace humans in paperwork, data processing, and coding, it can’t replace jobs that require manual labor, like plumbing.

According to the WSJ, enrollment in vocational colleges in the U.S. saw a 16% increase last year compared to the previous year, marking the highest level since the non-profit education organization NSC began tracking the data in 2018. During the same period, enrollment in construction technology and vehicle maintenance programs increased by 23% and 7%, respectively. Last year, the salary of service sector workers in the U.S. increased by 2.7% to $39,520, while the wages of new construction workers increased by 5.1% to $48,089, showing a higher growth rate. ADP (Automatic Data Processing), a U.S.-based salary analysis company, reported that the median salary of new construction workers has surpassed that of accountants and IT maintenance professionals for four consecutive years. The WSJ also reported that there are expectations among technical workers of reaching million-dollar salaries within five years.

Meanwhile, in Korea, a recent debate emerged over the government’s proposal to increase the number of medical college students, which led to a discussion of the devaluation of technical professions. Last month, Lim Hyun Taek, President of the Korean Medical Association, criticized the plan to increase the number of medical students on his social media account, saying, “One of the pediatricians is learning how to weld and expresses his desire to leave the country.” In response, the Daehan Welding Society, a group of welding professionals and related corporates, called it a “derogatory statement towards welding professionals,” online criticism poured out, saying, “That statement well demonstrates the doctors’ awareness of superiority.”