Savvy parents are talking with their kids about opting out of expensive 4-year degrees where the ROI is unclear, to say the least. Only 40% of high school grads who go to 4-year colleges have earned degrees within 6 years, and despite federal policy, most will have to pay back expensive student loans. Even those who finish with general business degrees receive an education that will get them entry-level wages in service jobs. About half wind up in jobs that don’t actually require a degree.
That means this generation will put off adulthood for a long while. Bank of America’s Better Money Habits team conducted a study early in 2024, and due to the high cost of living, over half of Gen Z, ages 12-27, report they cannot afford to live a life they are comfortable with, and 37% receive financial help from family. Thirty-one percent live with their parents because they can’t afford to move out.
If many of those young workers had opted to work in the skilled trades, they’d be in a very different position. According to the Interplaylearning.com blog, “The median pay for new construction hires rose 5.1% last year to $48,089. In comparison, the starting pay for hires in professional services only went up 2.7% to $39,520.” Construction and trades jobs are expected to increase by 15 million by 2035.
Still, the latest stat is that only around 16% of high school grads will enroll in a vocational or trade school — but high paying skilled trade jobs are being left unfilled. In fact, 88% of construction firms have trouble finding qualified workers.
Anne Marshall grew up in a home remodeling business started by her dad and uncle in 1983. She and her brother took over the business in 2016, and she’s a passionate advocate for workers choosing toolbelt jobs. “Not only are these workers in demand, but they also have higher job satisfaction than many white collar workers,” she says. “They are moving their bodies, building strength and skills each day, solving problems, and building or repairing something they can see and be proud of.” They also have clear paths to supervisory positions, administrative jobs such as sales, estimating, or design, and business ownership.
Anne herself never worked in the construction side of the family business. She started by helping her dad write features about the industry, then moved into sales and marketing roles for the company. In 2022, the family company joined Stronghouse Solutions, a national collection of roofing and home services companies. Anne serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for Stronghouse and co-CEO of Marshall Building and Remodeling.
Her career is also proof that you don’t have to have mechanical skills or great upper body strength to work in construction. There are plenty of administrative, sales, service, and leadership jobs in every kind of construction business. Many workers overlook these companies when they send out their resumes, causing them to miss out on an industry that’s showing plenty of growth and innovation through technology. “Home repair is also pretty recession-proof,” Anne says. “Whether it’s because of storm damage or age, homes get repaired when they’re damaged. Their home is most people’s most valuable asset, and they make taking care of it a priority.”
Anne says she’s seeing more young workers coming into the industry. When she and her brother first started working in the company, the workforce was comprised of about 70% baby boomers. Now she’s seeing younger workers, even multigenerational families working as teams. “Many more women, too,” she says. “The industry has become so much more welcoming to women over the past generation. Diversity is also a sign of a healthy thriving industry.”
What Anne loves about her work is giving her workforce a chance to thrive, both personally and financially, in meaningful work that will always be in demand.
If you’re interested in learning more about working in the skilled trades (including medical), here’s a great article on Indeed.com to get you started.
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