It’s no secret the electrical industry (along with many other industries) has been dealing with a skilled labor shortage for decades with no real end in sight. Although exact numbers vary, depending on which source you’re looking at, the U.S. construction industry is short nearly 500,000 workers this year and will need more than 454,000 new workers to meet demand in 2025, according to the latest data from Associated Builders and Contractors. What’s interesting is the skilled trades aren’t the only ones hurting.
Apparently, higher education enrollment has been decreasing for a decade as well. Just like the doom and gloom we’ve been hearing about for years regarding the labor crisis, there’s also an “enrollment cliff” expected for the 2024-25 academic year that will drastically affect higher education institutions. You can really get into the weeds if you dive into specific numbers (and the reasons behind this prediction), but I found this article on collegetransitions.com really insightful. According to this piece, undergraduate college enrollment has dropped from 18.1 million to 15.8 million over the last 13 years, due in large part to declining birth rates in the United States.
If you look beyond the stats, I think there also may be an attitudinal shift at work here in the eyes of the younger generation when it comes to career choices. Whether it be a distaste for sky-high student loan debt, the appeal of shorter completion time/faster entry into the workforce, on-the-job training, or long-term job security, stability, and career advancement (the new generation seems to be hyper aware of the impact AI could have on certain professions that have historically been attractive to younger people), potential employees from the Gen Z and Gen Alpha pool could (and should) be looking at the skilled trades in a new light.
In a recent article, “Don’t Forget the Trades! Why the Skilled Trades Are a Good Fit for the Next Generation,” Interplay Learning suggests Gen Z is “increasingly interested in the trades.” In fact, “recent research shows 75% of high school and college-age people would be interested in vocational schools that offered paid, on-the-job training.” It goes on to say that “83% of tradespeople report being either somewhat or extremely satisfied with their choice of work. Not only that, but 94% of those in the industry say they would encourage their own family members or kids to pursue similar occupations.”
That was the underlying message that came through in Freelance Writer Tim Kridel’s feature, “The Old College Try.” In this article, he digs into why a growing number of colleges are starting to offer training in the electrical field and other skilled trades. When it comes to career development conversations, let’s not forget about EC&M’s seventh annual 30 Under 30 Electrical All Stars. When we started this program in 2018 with the hope of showcasing talented young electrical professionals who were going above and beyond the call of duty, especially demonstrating innovation, efficiency, and creativity while incorporating technology into their jobs, I had no idea how successful and popular this program would become. It’s truly a testament to the great work these innovative young individuals are doing and how committed they are to the advancement of the electrical profession.
Shattering last year’s record for total number of nominations, the quantity and quality of this year’s submissions were truly remarkable. I’m proud to present the honorees for this special recognition program, representing individuals from electrical design firms, electrical contracting companies, and facility/plant maintenance roles across the country. Congratulations, and don’t forget to spread the word. As more young people recognize the potential that lies in the skilled trades, a cultural shift in mindset could lead the way to solidifying the next generation of electrical workers.
