The “toolbelt generation” is upon us. Get this… A whopping half of all Gen-Z, and over 40% of Millennials plan on moving into blue collar work, according to a recent Harris Poll.
Further, the poll showed that a majority of all Americans (72%) say they’ve noticed that young adults are highly interested in pursuing careers in the trades. [1]
So, if you operate a trade school or career college, now is the time to pounce on what’s becoming a major trend shift!
This shift, according to the New York Post, “comes as young adults face competitive job markets and prioritize job security.”[2]
“As the promise of a four-year degree falls short, and the cost to receive a college degree continues to climb, young Americans are making blue-collar jobs cool again,” said Credit Karma’s Courtney Alev to the Post.
However, because so many trade and career-based schools have been doing quite well as of late, more “players” have entered, and continue to enter the trade school game.
At this time last year, there were roughly 7,424 trade and technical school “businesses” in the US, up by nearly 150 schools, or 2% from the prior year.[3]
And growth continues. How many have opened up in 2024? Well, the data isn’t in yet….
But to put the current numbers in perspective, there are roughly 2,828 four-year, degree-granting colleges operating in the US…
Or nearly 4,600 more trade schools than four-year colleges.[4] That’s quite a gap, and its one that seems to be widening.
But it’s not all champaign and roses for trade schools. With the increase in the number of schools we’ve already seen come into the market (and we’ll likely see even more), there comes an increase in competition for students…
Potentially making your new student enrollment goals much harder to reach.
In a moment, Conversion Media Group, a national leader in trade school enrollment initiatives, will show you a fantastic way to help your career-based school reach its enrollment goals… giving you a potentially big edge over the growing field of competitors.
But before we show you how, let’s get back to some highlights from the Harris Poll.
71% of trade workers and 70% of corporate workers believe the trades offer more job security as artificial intelligence begins replacing office jobs.
76% of Americans believe the best pathway to owning a business is through the trades, and not by being a corporate “professional.”
Remarkably, 38% of Gen-Z and 34% of Millennials already work in the trades.[5]
So, while the interest in blue collar work among these generations is indeed growing, a very large number of them, over a third, are already “in” …
Meaning the prospective student pool may be smaller than previously thought.
And this is precisely why your school should partner with Conversion Media Group.
You see, we specialize in speaking directly to prospective trade school students, students all across America, who are highly interested in attending the schools we represent. Both online and in-person.
How to get a big edge over the growing field of competitors:
By partnering with us, as we guide prospective students to your programs, we have the capacity to drive 100 or more “live transfers” to your enrollment representatives, on a weekly basis.
That’s potentially 100 new trade school students a week!
Now, these live transfers (prospects we have on the phone and transfer the call to you live) are prospective students that we’ve been continually communicating with and counseling…
Many of whom are ready to take the next step and potentially enroll with you the moment they speak with your enrollment department.
We know they want to hear from you. So, talk to them.
Whether you need 50, 100, 1,000 new students or more, Conversion Media Group can help give you that edge to reach, and possibly exceed your enrollment goals.
To understand more about how we can do it, please give us a call at 1-800-419-3201.
Or you can contact us HERE, and a career education enrollment expert will get back with you as soon as possible.
[1] Gen Z drives a resurgence in blue-collar work – Intuit Credit Karma
[2] Gen Z workers training to become plumbers, electricians as they lose faith in college degrees (nypost.com)
[3] Trade & Technical Schools in the US – Number of Businesses | IBISWorld
[4] Colleges by State: Find Colleges in the US by State | Appily
[5] Gen Z drives a resurgence in blue-collar work – Intuit Credit Karma