Skilled Trades: The Revival of A Worthwhile Career Path
Introduction
“Skilled trades” is a broad carryall term that covers a diverse range of professions, including machining, production, maintenance and computer numerical control (CNC). The sector has faced mounting difficulties to fill growing holes within their workforces, as more of their workers reach retirement age, faced with a low supply of applicants. If there are copious amounts of solid jobs with decent pay and increasing benefits, why aren’t more people applying to them? This article explores the historical background towards the decline in applicants in the skilled trades and provides insights towards a growing movement to reappraise the value of the skilled trades’ among today’s young learners and workers.
Why has Enrollment in the Skilled Trades Been so Low Lately?
Since the arrival of the so-called “post-industrial” wave — which rose to cultural prominence in the United States during the 1980s — the skilled trades have been deemphasized within American culture. Factors such as automation and outsourcing were often touted as “solutions” to these industries. What had once been seen as a common and respectable career path became increasingly painted as outmoded and unnecessary. Consequently, fewer high schoolers have been exposed to vocational skills training programs, as these programs are less likely to exist than in decades past; leading to a chilling effect that has resulted in a decline in applicants to trades-related jobs.
Despite the initial hype that work in the skilled trades was doomed for obsolescence, the fact is that many of these positions have remained. According to a 2019 report from Monroe Community College, there are approximately 2,130 job openings for manufacturing in the Finger Lakes region, with a hiring gap of 1,855, leaving over 87% of these openings unfilled. Moreover, the industry has been transformed by new developments in technology, allowing for greater efficiency and quality control; demanding a more informed worker. The growth of the maker movement which began during the mid-2000s additionally has changed sentiment in towards the skilled trades, particularly among younger individuals. The maker movement acknowledges and celebrates the opportunities provided by new technologies such as 3D printing and other digital tools in the process of building and fixing things.
What the Skilled Trades Have to Offer Today’s Workers
As hordes of American high school grads have been nudged by towards college degrees, there are signs of an oversupply of individuals trained in white-collar work than the market can absorb, contributing in no small part to the growing scourge of student loan debt that is collectively restricting the spending power of today’s Americans. Skilled trades offer an alternative to the oversaturated white-collar work market, in addition to the burgeoning service industry, including work within restaurants, ride-hailing, hospitality, cosmetology, and so forth. Within many of these service industry positions, benefits are often scant, opportunities for moving up are rare, and hours can be unpredictable.
Apprenticeships and training programs are a great entry point into an array of skilled trade professions. Community colleges and even private companies are offering these vocational instruction programs (which often take two years or less to complete), meaning individuals studying within the skilled trades are often on the job and making money before those enrolled in a four-year college program, without the weight of excessive student debt over themselves. Many positions within the skilled trades today offer generous benefits, decent pay (with an average of $38,463/year in Rochester area according to ZipRecruiter), and opportunities for advancement, making now a great time to seek a job within the field.
Conclusion
If you think that you might be interested in seeking work within the skilled trades, know that there are plenty of employers who are looking for applicants, particularly within the Greater Rochester and Buffalo-Niagara region. New York Technology Partners is an Upstate New York-based recruiting firm that specializes in hiring on behalf of several skilled trade companies, filling positions for machinists, production, maintenance, and CNC specialists, among other professions. As always, our staffing experts are dedicated to helping job seekers find the positions that are right for them, depending on their knowledge and experience and personal preferences. Feel free to give one of our recruiters a call at (585) 300–4720 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, or check out our current openings on Indeed.
