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The current U.S. workforce is comprised of four generations: Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. But there’s one generation in particular that the skilled trades have their eyes on right now: Gen Z.

Amid a marked wave of retirement from Baby Boomers, the trades are looking to this tech-savvy, highly educated cohort to be the next generation of skilled labor. The problem is that Gen Z isn’t exactly chomping at the bit to pursue careers in the trades.

Data from recruitment platform Handshake found that the application rate for young people seeking technical occupations, such as plumbing, construction, and electrical work, dropped by 49% from 2020 to 2022. Yet, as the cost of higher education rises alongside interest rates and inflation, the trades provide a fantastic, high-paying career path for generations just entering the workforce. It’s the trades’ job to help Gen Z see that.

As such, the skilled trades are leaning into technology and digital disruption to better recruit, retain, and upskill Gen Z employees. By highlighting technological opportunities and investing in digital tools to make those opportunities come to life, the skilled trades can change the conversation and better establish value for Gen Z and generations to come.

A much-needed brand refresh: from traditional to tech-savvy

More and more people are beginning to associate success with technology — and therein lies the skilled trades’ branding problem. The skilled trades are often perceived as traditional, hands-on industries largely excluded from the massive waves of digital disruption. Stanley Black & Decker’s 2022 Makers Index found that 23% of young people don’t believe that skilled tradespeople work with cutting-edge technology. Those beliefs are in contrast with reality, however: that same survey found that 89% of skilled workers report they do indeed work with cutting-edge technology.

It's estimated that Gen Z has the shortest attention span of any generation, giving companies just eight seconds to capture their imagination. That means the skilled trades need to lead with digital disruption when recruiting younger generations. We can look to the armed forces, who are targeting this same audience, as an example: The U.S. Army recently launched a years-in-the-making rebrand to highlight non-combat, technology-first opportunities in their military branch. Last fall, the U.S. Marine Corps took a similar initiative, showcasing its use of drones in a new recruiting ad.

The skilled trades are in dire need of a narrative shift. How often do we hear about the many developer opportunities in the trades? Or the innovative digital tools driving efficiency? Augmented reality training? To capture Gen Z’s attention in eight seconds, these perks should be at the forefront of recruitment and pipeline development.

Cater learning to age cohorts, but avoid stereotyping

Cultivating a fulfilling working experience for Gen Z can’t stop at recruitment; a crucial component to a tech-first rebrand will be for trades to execute on their promise. An NFPA industry survey found that 68% of respondents felt a desire to work with innovative, non-traditional tools on the job site — while 17% found a lack of such job-enabling tools to be their biggest challenge on the job.

A great way for the trades to cater to Gen Z and lean into digital transformation is through immersive training and learning models. This could be as simple as video-based, asynchronous training or digital tools that bring codes and standards to life with interactive content. There are also a variety of innovative virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies on the market. For example, in construction, organizations can use VR headsets to simulate walking on a high-altitude beam and see how workers react to heights before putting them out in the field. The same technology can be used to simulate repairing an engine or operating large machinery without the risk. Organizations can also invest in training employees how to control and work alongside technology in their day-to-day roles, therefore giving them valuable skills and promoting professional development.

The skilled trades are in dire need of a narrative shift. How often do we hear about the many developer opportunities in the trades? Or the innovative digital tools driving efficiency? Augmented reality training? To capture Gen Z’s attention in eight seconds, these perks should be at the forefront of recruitment and pipeline development.

While organizations want to avoid leaning too far into one generation’s needs to the point of neglecting the others in its workforce, they should know that if the goal is to target a certain age group, they need to be aware of that group’s preferred learning style. Learning isn’t one-size-fits all. That said, it’s important not to stereotype generations. There are plenty of younger employees who can easily adapt to online gamification but would still prefer face-to-face classroom learning settings. Conversely, there are plenty of industry veterans excited to try digital learning models for convenience, safety or accessibility reasons. It’s critical for organizations to keep an ear to the ground to identify what’s working and what isn’t among multi-generational workforces.

Gen Z is shaking up the skilled trades

Like just about every industry, the skilled trades are growing increasingly digital — in part led by tech innovation, and in part led by the demand of newer generations. If trade organizations want to usher in the next phase of skilled labor as Baby Boomers retire, digital transformation needs to be at the top of their priority list. By effectively highlighting technology in the trades and building digital training and learning programs to upskill employees, the trades can ensure Gen Z has the tools it needs to continue to drive innovation, safety and integrity in the industry.