3 Reasons Teens Don’t Consider Careers In The Skilled Trades – Even Though They Should

credit to https://www.wearegenerationt.com/buzz/article/3-reasons-teens-dont-consider-careers-skilled-trades-even-though-they-should

1. They Haven’t Been Shown the Money

2. Surrounding Culture Doesn’t Support It

3. The Traditional Education Machine Pushes College

Many people underestimate the earnings potential of any job that doesn’t require a college degree. But many skilled trades pay more than jobs that require a four-year degree and experience. Check out these comparisons to see the real story about skilled trades earning potential.

• Plumbers make $25.92 per hour on average compared to an average $23.79 per hour pay rate for social workers.
• Carpenters make $22.40 per hour on average compared to an average $16.23 per hour pay for customer service reps.
• Electricians make $26.53 per hour on average compared to an average $21.61 per hour pay for retail managers.
• Plus, this earnings potential starts immediately. Most people who enter the skilled trades do so via paid apprenticeship or entry-level positions.

Unfortunately, the surrounding culture tends to glorify positions that require years of expensive schooling or are shots in the dark for young people. You don’t usually see a television mom introducing her son or daughter with the proud words, “Here’s Jim. He’s a plumber,” and a wink to indicate what a catch this character must be. That type of messaging — on the screen and in real life — is often reserved for doctors, lawyers, actors and sports stars.

It’s not that parents aren’t proud of the plumbers, electricians or HVAC technicians in their lives. It’s simply that the overall culture doesn’t support this type of messaging. This means it’s up to individual parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers and neighbors to change how a teen sees career decisions, especially if you feel like a teen in your life would be much more content making good money in a solid skilled trades career.

U.S. News and World Report ranks public schools and states with regard to the education provided to students. One of the factors in those rankings is “college readiness based on SAT and ACT scores.” The Center for American Progress proposes that a new policy to ensure quality education for every child should include five key components. One of those components is preparing all students for college.

The TL;DR here is that teens might not be considering career options that don’t include college because educational systems aren’t considering it as an option. 

The bottom line for anyone advocating for a teen’s future? Yes, college may be the right path for some. But it isn’t for anyone, and since the skilled trades aren’t getting as much consideration as they might warrant, it’s up to advocates and parents to fill in the gaps. Find out more about how to advocate for the future of teens in your life and support the trades.

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