During a political rally last year, Elon Musk expressed his support for the trades, stating, “I think that the value of a college education is somewhat overweighted. I think too many people actually spend four years accumulating a ton of debt and then don’t often have useful skills that they can apply afterwards. I have a lot of respect for people who work with their hands. We need electricians and plumbers and carpenters. That’s a lot more important than having incremental political science majors. We should not have this idea that to be successful you need to have four years of college. That is simply not true.”
These comments come at a critical time, as many HVACR technicians are nearing retirement, and the industry faces a shortage of new technicians to take their place. As many are already well aware, the industry’s labor shortage is not a new challenge — particularly when it comes to the lack of skilled technicians specializing in commercial refrigeration equipment used in supermarkets, convenience stores, and restaurants. And the situation is only getting worse, with roughly 80,000 HVACR technician jobs currently unfilled, or about 39% of the workforce.
The good news is that Gen Z seems to be becoming more interested in the trades. Born between 1997 and 2012, many are just entering the workforce, while others, disillusioned by the job market after earning a degree, are contemplating a career change. And they’re enrolling in trade-focused classes.
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, “Enrollment in vocational training programs is surging as overall enrollment in community colleges and four-year institutions has fallen. The number of students enrolled in vocational-focused community colleges rose 16% last year to its highest level since the National Student Clearinghouse began tracking such data in 2018. The ranks of students studying construction trades rose 23% during that time, while those in programs covering HVAC and vehicle maintenance and repair increased 7%.”
The article goes on to say that rising wages and technological advancements in industries like HVACR are helping to redefine trade professions, breaking the stereotype of them being dirty or low-status jobs. Of course, Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs, has been championing this message for years, as his hit TV show highlighted the millions of “dirty” jobs that often go unfilled. His show’s success even led to the creation of mikeroweWORKS, a foundation and PR campaign aimed at revitalizing interest in the skilled trades. According to a recent Facebook post, Rowe said the foundation has “so far helped train 2,200 people in a variety of essential jobs that don’t require a four-year degree with over $12 million in scholarships.”
Given that Musk currently has the ear of President Trump, Rowe appears eager to collaborate with him to highlight the tremendous need for skilled workers in the trades. Continuing in his Facebook post, he noted:
Just because Elon Musk is saying the exact same thing that I’ve been saying for the last 16 years, doesn’t mean we’ll be working together to challenge the preposterous notion that a four-year degree is the best path for the most people. Nor does it mean we’ll be partnering to debunk the stigmas, stereotypes, myths and misperceptions that have led to the current skills gap threatening to cripple our workforce…or the expensive but necessary business of launching a national effort across all media to reinvigorate the skilled trades in a way that encourages more kids to give the skilled trades an honest look – I can’t say with any level of certainty that Elon and I will be joining forces.
But I sure would like to.
Such a partnership could be transformative, helping to raise awareness about the rewarding career opportunities available in the trades. Let’s hope they have a meeting of the minds.
