Their Parents Went to College, Got Laid Off - Gen Z Turns to the Trades

How many "thinkers" does the US economy need? Apparently not as many as are out there. Layoffs are hitting knowledge workers in finance, management consulting, law and more hard. That could get lots worse as employers adopt generative AI tools to review how processes are performed. It isn't about making those tasks more efficient. It's more about investigating if they can be eliminated entirely.

Read professional anonymous networks such as Blind, Glassdoor, Fishbowl and Reddit. Who's worrying about employment security or who already got the ax are white-collars. Overall, blue-collars are going on about their lives devoid of employment angst. 

Gen Z is watching all this, especially their parents facing the abyss of investing so much in preparing for a career through higher education and following the supposed rules for success and winding up, at best, worried and, more often, no longer marketable. About 30% of those axed have been managers. The demand is for the highly specialized, not the generalist. For example, many generalist consultants at McKinsey are idle while those with an AI background are out there on assignments.

As a result, documents Axios, more of Gen Zers are rejecting the post-high school traditional option of going to college. According to New America, 66% strongly agree or somewhat agree that graduating high school or the GED is enough education. The National Student Clearing House found that enrollment in vocational programs is up 16%. My grand cousin went the vocational route in high school and landed a good-enough job right afterward. To beef up his credentials post-high school he also went for a certification. 

Meanwhile demand for those in the skilled trades such as plumbing and welding is growing. In addition to the need for this necessary kind of expertise there has been a wave of retirements. Even before that development, good luck trying to get a plumber. That was among the reasons I opted to rent and no longer be a homeowner.

Overall some categories of knowledge workers are getting on our nerves. They are full of opinions and predictions rather than being out there accomplishing hands-on tasks. Soon enough we won't really need financial planners. Or lawyers for routine legal procedures such as a filing the LLC. Or management consultants for identifying the gap in services for a business wanting to expand. 

In my coaching, as employers gain the upper hand again, more clients are becoming open to alternates to the white-collar. They are investigating options ranging from training for the trades to starting up micro enterprises. 

Limiting beliefs? Self-defeating? Stuck? Complimentary consultation with Coach Jane Genova (text/phone 203-468-8579, janegenova374@gmail.com)