Here's something Get ready for the tool belt generation young
Americans skipping out on college and embracing blue collar trade
jobs as salaries go up.
Since 2018, students in vocational community colleges are up 16%.
Students studying construction trades are up 23%,
and studying HVAC and car repairs up 7%.
The efforts? Literally, literally paying off the median pay for
new construction hires and now $48,000.
That is up 5% from the year before.
Chantal Castillo is a part of this Gen.
Z trend, skipping college to get a job,
and she joins me now.
Chantal, thanks so much for being here.
You chose welding over college.
Why?
Well, there are plenty of reasons,
but definitely one of the most.
The biggest reason for me was it just seems like.
A better opportunity for what I was looking for in
life.
It's more immediate. It's a shorter time to be studying.
The pay for me is very worth it,
but I just think it's a very good skill to
have and there's a lot of different things to branch
off into,
so it was just a better option for me.
And I did think about going to college,
but I just think the trade really does pay off,
especially because I'm very handsome worker,
Don't want to work in an office,
you know, sitting all day,
Just want to be moving.
How much is the cost of college factor into your
decision?
The did factor in greatly just because welding is a
very more,
it's kind of becoming a more affordable trade as time
goes on.
Just because I know college can,
you know, get pricey after some time.
And you know, I already paid off my trade and
I finished back in October,
so it was a very more affordable option for me.
So it does play quite a bit.
You paid off your your cost to go to school
to be a welder was a lot of your fellow.
1718 year olds are going to be paying for for
years,
just quickly. What does it say that so many in
your generation are making this decision to skip college and
go into trades?
I think it's really great actually.
I am seeing a lot more younger people coming into
the trade because it is,
it happens to be a little rare,
but I think it's really great to have our younger
generation,
especially the girls. You know,
I've seen a lot of girls starting their own businesses
and stuff and I just think it's really fantastic to
see people explore the actual options out there.
You know there are options out there and Chantal is
exploring them.
Congrats on your success. Keep us posted,
check back in with us.
That's awesome. Have a great day,
Chantal.