A recent NPR report highlights an unusual split in the U.S. job market: young workers without college degrees are finding work more easily than they have in years, while many recent graduates are struggling.
Unemployment among workers ages 22 to 34 who lack a bachelor’s degree is near a 20-year low, NPR’s Windsor Johnston reported. That stands in contrast to the picture painted by the Burning Glass Institute, which found that recent college graduates are having a harder time landing jobs.
Construction is a major reason. Georgetown University economist Harry Holzer pointed to a strong building boom, including the wave of data centers going up around the country, which is creating demand for skilled construction workers. Retirements are adding to the openings. As more baby boomers leave the skilled trades and immigration slows, employers are turning to other workers to fill the gaps.
The result is a window for young people who skip a four-year degree and instead pursue apprenticeships or trade training. Electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers, and other construction-related roles are among the jobs seeing the tightest demand. The work is often physical and requires training, but it does not require a bachelor’s degree—and in the current market, that path is paying off for many younger workers.
SOURCES:
Jobs that earn six figures without going to college (and why they are rare) – The Washington Post
Economists Say Millennials Should Consider Careers In Trades : NPR
America needs carpenters and plumbers. Gen Z doesn’t seem interested
Many in Gen Z ditch colleges for trade schools. Meet the ‘toolbelt generation’ – VPM
Why this 26-year-old skipped college and took up a skilled trade | Reuters
