A new SimplyWise survey suggests Gen Z is increasingly viewing skilled trades as a more secure and financially stable career path than traditional office jobs as artificial intelligence reshapes the workforce. The June 2026 Trades & Technology Index surveyed 1,140 U.S. adults ages 18-29 and found growing respect for the trades, particularly among current college students and those pursuing technology careers. While a four-year degree remains valued, respondents increasingly cited skilled trades as offering stronger job security, better financial prospects and greater resilience to AI disruption.
KEY FINDINGS:
- 66% would encourage a friend to pursue a skilled trade.
- 52% of current college students say the trades feel safer than office jobs in an AI-driven economy.
- 34% say trade school or an apprenticeship is the best path to financial stability by age 30, compared with 23% who chose a four-year degree.
- 30% rank skilled trades as today’s most respected career path.
- 70% believe their generation respects the trades more than it did just a few years ago.
SOURCE: “Skilled Trades Survey 2026,” SimplyWise // simplywise.com/blog/skilled-trades-survey-2026/
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