Thumbtack recently conducted a survey of young adults and a survey of skilled trades workers, and both sets of results place the skilled trades in a positive light, according to ConstructioNext.

Thumbtack surveyed about 1,000 people ages 18 to 30 and found nearly half of respondents said they are interested in pursuing a career in the trades. More than 80% of respondents said construction offers benefits such as flexibility, less or no school debt, faster entry into the workforce and the opportunity to be your own boss. Seventy percent of young adults surveyed said financial security was a key factor, and 73% said skilled trades command respect.

Additionally, 82% of young adults surveyed said they were incorrectly told going to college is the only way to be successful, and 59% felt pressured to attend a four-year college or university. Nearly one-third of respondents were not offered shop classes in school, but for those who took shop, 86% said it was one of their favorite classes.

Thumbtack also surveyed about 830 skilled trades workers, and 87% said they are happy with their jobs and would choose the same career if given the opportunity. Additionally, 94% would encourage family members to pursue a career in the skilled trades; 95% were optimistic about job security even in the face of artificial intelligence; 95% were optimistic about their earnings potential; 93% were optimistic about career growth; and 92% believed they can learn news skills or advanced technologies in their trade.

Original Information Resource:

https://www.nrca.net/RoofingNews/survey-results-reflect-a-growing-interest-in-skilled-trades.9-26-2023.11679/