Parents Now Favor Skilled Trades Over College Degrees by Nearly 3-to-1 Margin
Event summary
- Jobber's 2026 Blue Collar Report reveals 52% of parents now believe skilled trades offer better ROI than college degrees, up from 18%.
- 93% of parents would financially support trade school equally to a four-year degree.
- 77% of Gen Z respondents want to own a business someday, with nearly twice as many seeing trades as the best path to ownership (46%) compared to college careers (24%).
- 68% of parents say AI has made them rethink the long-term stability of white-collar careers.
- 55% of parents believe schools do not take the trades as seriously as university pathways.
The big picture
Jobber's report highlights a seismic shift in career perceptions, driven by rising education costs and AI's disruption of white-collar stability. The data suggests a generational realignment toward skilled trades as viable, high-ROI alternatives to college degrees. This trend could reshape workforce development strategies and educational priorities, particularly as demand for skilled labor continues to outpace supply.
What we're watching
- Education System Alignment
- Whether schools will adapt quickly enough to promote skilled trades equally with college pathways.
- AI's Role in Career Choices
- How AI tools continue to influence perceptions of trade careers versus white-collar jobs.
- Entrepreneurial Shift
- The pace at which Gen Z transitions from traditional employment to business ownership in trades.