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Fast Company
30-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
How TikTok turned horseshoeing into a viral career path
In between AI slop and viral dance trends, blacksmithing is quietly drawing audiences of millions on TikTok. One of the platform's most popular farriers, Samuel Wolfenden, has gained over a million followers on Instagram and 700,000 followers on TikTok since he posted his first video two years ago. 'I woke up the next day and had millions of millions of views; I had one hundred thousand followers,' Wolfenden told the New York Times in a recent interview. His oddly satisfying videos of hammering shoes on horse hooves have garnered Wolfenden a devoted following. 'Lucky horse,' one user commented beneath one of his videos. The attention has since landed Wolfenden sponsorship deals, modeling gigs, and a publicist, according to the Times. Wolfenden's not the only one cashing in on the demand. Farrier Sam Dracott's top three pinned videos on TikTok have a combined view count of over 630 million. 'It's so satisfying to watch,' one user commented beneath one of his videos. Dracott, who has four million followers on YouTube and TikTok, now employs an entourage, which includes a videographer, a social media manager, and a publicist. Due to his online presence, his income has doubled. TikTok leans into trades As well as pulling in millions of views, TikTok creators in the trades are also influencing career choices. This month, Skilled Careers Coalition (SCC) and SkillsUSA announced a partnership with TikTok to tap into the momentum, enlisting creators to produce exclusive content on trade careers like carpentry, construction, and HVAC contracting. This comes as 42% of Gen Z college grads now work in or are pursuing a blue-collar or skilled trade job, including 37% of those with a bachelor's degree, according to a survey published this month by Resume Builder. The main motivators: flexibility and a preference for hands-on work over desk jobs. When it comes to horseshoeing, having no prior experience with horses is simply a minor detail for eager students, lead instructor at the Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School in Plymouth, Calif., Amanda Smith, told the Times. 'It makes me wonder: How did you think of this? Because you never put a halter on a horse, and now you are thinking of putting shoes on their feet?' Smith said. 'I will have to admit, every time they come, my first thought is: 'Did you see one of those videos?''
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TikTok Looks To Help Connect Users With Skills-Based Career Opportunities
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. TikTok has announced a new collaboration with the Skilled Careers Coalition and SkillsUSA, which will help these organizations promote content that amplifies skilled careers across the app, in order to connect TikTok users with potential opportunities. As explained by TikTok: 'With a shared vision to elevate the skilled trades and meet the growing demand for skilled talent, Skilled Careers Coalition (SCC) and SkillsUSA today announced a strategic partnership with TikTok. The partnership will leverage Skilled Career Coalition's growing for youth, by youth platform, SKILLS JAM, which has helped amplify the excitement of skilled careers through entertaining short- and long-form content, and a growing wave of skilled trade creators on TikTok, who tell the behind-the-scenes stories of their work, share tips, and help educate others about their professions.' Essentially, the new partnership will see TikTok looking to assist in the promotion of skills-based content, aligning with the organizations' broader mission to guide younger audiences into relevant jobs. "Together, SCC and TikTok will be producing unique content that brings young people and TikTok skilled trade creators together as part of a series of local market workforce development events to be scheduled across the country, including at SkillsUSA's annual National Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta June 23-27, 2025." TikTok says that the collaboration reinforces TikTok as "the go-to destination for career exploration and inspiration," while also highlighting how creators can influence students' interest in trade school and, apprenticeships. And that might seem like a stretch, that TikTok is becoming 'the go-to destination for career exploration and inspiration.' But it certainly is gaining traction as a key guide, for many elements, which does include career discovery. Indeed, according to a recent study by Zety, 92% of Gen Z users trust TikTok for career advice, while 46% of Gen Zs have been able to secure a job or internship through the app. In a more direct sense, TikTok says that more than 28 million Americans are now employed by businesses 'that leverage TikTok's features.' This has been part of the platform's appeal to U.S. regulators to avoid a ban, highlighting the platform's direct economic impact, and there is something to be said for the power that the app now has as a direct driver of business. Given this, and TikTok's overall popularity with younger audiences, the partnership with SkillsUSA makes sense, and could end up facilitating valuable connections for many users. You can learn more about the TikTok, Skilled Careers Coalition (SCC) and SkillsUSA partnership here. Recommended Reading TikTok Highlights Female Creators and Brands for International Women's Day
