While demand for employees in the skilled trades increases, there are not enough entry-level employees being produced by career education programs. This presents a severe problem for plumbing, heating, electrical, and construction companies, along with many other types of employers.
Young people need to be encouraged to take advantage of skilled trades education. College is not a guarantee of a successful life after graduation, while skilled trades education directly leads to job security and satisfaction. A-Absolute Plumbing, Heating & Air explains how a shortage in skilled tradespeople stifles economic growth.
Growth in Trades Jobs
Despite chronic labor shortages in these areas, the number of employees in the skilled trades is projected to grow by leaps and bounds by the year 2024. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that all of the skilled trades are projected to grow. Solar photovoltaics installers and wind turbine technicians are projected to grow the most, in some cases over 100 percent. This trend points toward increased investment in renewable energy technologies.
Trades Education: Meeting Demand
There are many quality postsecondary education options for young people and those who wish to change their industry, but schools often encourage all students to attend traditional colleges instead. Attending college does not guarantee success, while a hardworking student from a trade school is almost guaranteed to find a job in his or her field upon completion of the training program. The stigma of not attending college needs to be erased.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, fully 40 percent of all students failed to graduate from college after 6 years. This points to failings in the education system and underscores the difficulty of finding quality employees. If more students were encouraged to join the trades rather than going to college, they might find better chances of career success.
Lack of Qualified Employees
Serious shortages in newly trained members of the trade professions can stifle economic growth. A study by Autodesk and the Associated General Contractors of America states that 70 percent of construction companies are having difficulty finding qualified employees to fill available positions. Without growth in the workforce, economic expansion is difficult if not impossible.
The workforce is also aging, while few young people are lining up to take the place of retiring employees. In the Northeastern United States, this problem is exacerbated by the number of young people who are encouraged to attend college rather than going into the trade professions. In Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, 60 percent of all tradespeople are over 45 and nearing retirement age.
Increased Job Security and Satisfaction
While the unemployment rate for high school graduates is higher than that of college graduates, trades education students are almost always able to find well-paying jobs in their chosen field. This presents better job satisfaction for trades employees since they are not forced to work outside the field they have chosen. College is no guarantee of success after graduation.
Young people joining the trades find that their jobs are more secure than entry-level college graduates. Since there is a serious shortage of young people entering the trades, workers are in high demand and are more likely to be paid commensurate with their education and experience.
Final Thoughts
A-Absolute Plumbing, Heating & Air recommends that all young people and those who are interested in changing careers look into the benefits of education in the skilled trades. These jobs are growing and there are not enough qualified employees to fill them, leading to better pay and job security for tradespeople when compared to college graduates working outside their fields.
