Is the AI takeover driving Gen Z back to traditional jobs amid uncertainty in white-collar careers?

Economic Times

24-05-2025

AI Anxiety and the Death of the Cubicle Dream
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As automation and machine learning loom over traditional white-collar roles, many young professionals are gravitating toward careers grounded in practical skills—jobs that can't be replaced by an algorithm or programmed into obsolescence.
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Less than a year ago, The Wall Street Journal dubbed Gen Z 'the toolbelt generation,' reflecting how skilled trades are gaining new respect.
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In an era where artificial intelligence is rewriting job descriptions overnight, Generation Z is making a bold, some say countercultural, move—trading white collars for toolbelts. A recent survey by Resume Builder, which polled over 1,400 young adults aged 18 to 28, has revealed that 42% of Gen Z are either already working in or actively pursuing careers in skilled trades like plumbing, electrical work, and welding. Even more telling, 37% of them hold a college degree.According to a report from the New York Post, this dramatic shift is more than a fleeting trend—it signals a recalibration of values. Instead of chasing traditional office jobs that once promised prestige and stability, many Gen Zers are opting for hands-on, practical professions that offer security in a rapidly automating world.The underlying driver of this pivot? A rising tide of uncertainty fueled by the rise of AI. As machine learning and automation threaten to overhaul a vast swath of white-collar roles, young professionals are seeking careers that can't be easily coded out of existence. Almost one in four survey respondents said trade jobs seemed less susceptible to AI disruption."More Gen Z college graduates are turning to trade careers and for good reason," said Stacie Haller, Chief Career Advisor at Resume Builder. 'Trade jobs offer hands-on work that's difficult to automate. Many grads find their degrees don't lead to real careers, prompting them to explore more practical, in-demand alternatives.'Today, a college degree no longer guarantees a solid career path—or even a job at all. Nearly 19% of Gen Z respondents currently working in trades said they simply couldn't find employment in the field they studied. Another 16% said they quit white-collar jobs because trade work offered higher earning potential.The financial burden of higher education is also tipping the scales. With college costs now averaging more than $38,000 per year, according to the Education Data Initiative, many Zoomers are wary of the lifelong debt trap. Choosing a trade job, on the other hand, often comes with on-the-job training, faster entry into the workforce, and no hefty tuition bill to pay back.A cultural rebrand is underway. Less than a year ago, The Wall Street Journal dubbed Gen Z 'the toolbelt generation,' reflecting how skilled trades are gaining new respect. Vocational community college enrollment is surging—up 16% last year to its highest level since 2018. Programs in construction, HVAC, and automotive repair have also seen significant growth.An Associated Press feature echoed this shift. One 19-year-old working at a Ford plant shared that had he gone to college, he would be 'dead broke.' Instead, he's making $24 an hour, debt-free, and building a future without the corporate grind.What was once seen as a fallback option is now emerging as a career of choice. In a job market destabilized by technology, trade work offers Gen Z something increasingly rare: tangible skills, real income, and a future less likely to be outsourced to an algorithm.The shift raises an essential question—are we witnessing a return to the trades not just out of necessity, but out of a deeper reevaluation of success itself? For Gen Z, the path to prosperity may not lie behind a desk but in mastering the tools of their trade—literally.