Skilled Careers Coalition

As college enrollment continues to decline, so does student interest in traditional majors. This shift is signaling a deeper transformation in how young people are viewing education, career paths, and return on investment. Are we preparing the next generation for the future they actually want, or the one we assumed they’d follow? We enjoyed this Yahoo News article about the state of the trades and education for the next generation of young Americans. Take a look and let us know your thoughts in the comments 💭 ✏️: https://lnkd.in/gr52ERuV

The trades aren’t just about hammers and hard hats—they’re about high-tech, high-paying careers that are shaping the future. In "The Tech Job Paying Six Figures, No College Degree Required", Te-Ping Chen dives into how automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing are creating new paths to six-figure salaries—without a traditional degree. At the Skilled Careers Coalition, we’re championing these careers, helping Gen Z see that tech isn’t just in Silicon Valley—it’s in factories, construction sites, and repair shops across America. What’s stopping more young people from seeing these opportunities? Comment your thoughts below! ⬇️ #SkilledTrades #TechCareers #HighPayingJobs

As conversations about reshoring manufacturing to the U.S. heat up, there's a critical issue we can't ignore: we don’t have the skilled workforce to meet the current and increased demand. This recent The Wall Street Journal opinion piece underscores a pressing truth— our country is facing a deep shortage of workers and subsequently skilled trades workers, especially among men. If we want to bring manufacturing back in a meaningful way, we must change the narrative around what a "successful" career looks like, reinvest in skilled trades education, and create clear pathways into the trades for the next generation. Read the article below and let us know your thoughts in the comments. ✏️ : https://lnkd.in/eBhk8uRv #SkilledTrades #Manufacturing #WorkforceDevelopment #TradeCareers #FutureOfWork #BlueCollarProud

This article from Essence Communications Inc. written by Jasmine Browley, M.A. highlights how systemic gaps in career readiness programs have failed a generation, leaving too many without the soft skills to secure employment while lending to continued misperceptions about our next generation of talent. As we talk about reshoring jobs, disruptive technologies, rebuilding the middle class and fostering entrepenuership and innovation, we must also talk about how we are educating and preparing the next generation. It's not just about filling jobs. It's about reimagining education and work based learning, mentorship (imparting those soft skills) to create well-rounded talent and widening the career pathways "aperture" to show what is possible. ✏️ : https://lnkd.in/gCX5x-PR #SkilledTrades #WorkBasedLearning #WorkforceDevelopment #TradeCareers #FutureOfWork #Mentorship #SoftSkills

40,000+ views and counting! If you haven't already, check out 'Skills Jam Goes to Work: IBS 2025' on the Skills Jam YouTube channel 🎥 We hit the floor at the International Builders’ Show with our incredible Jambassador, Paige Knowles, to give viewers an inside look at one of the biggest #construction industry events in the world. From tool demos to career insights, this Skills Jam Goes to Work vlog is packed with energy, inspiration, and real talk from leaders shaping the future of the trades. Huge thanks to Greg Zick, MA, CAE and the National Association of Home Builders for opening the doors to such an unforgettable experience for Skills Jam and our growing community of next-gen trades talent 🙌 🎥 Watch the full vlog here: https://lnkd.in/g-EE-RZj 🛠️ Featured in the video: We’re grateful to the many partners and pros who shared their time and stories with us on camera — helping us show what a career in the skilled trades really looks like. 👇 Tagging all featured individuals and companies in the first comment! #SkilledCareersCoalition #SkillsJam #IBS2025 #SkilledTrades #GenZ #ConstructionCareers #PlumberPaige #TradeTalk #GoesToWork #FutureOfWork #WomenInTrades #WorkforceDevelopment

Te-Ping Chen of the The Wall Street Journal's piece, "He Skipped College to Become a Repairman. He's on His Way to $175,000 a Year", highlights a growing reality: #skilledcareers can be just as lucrative—if not more—than jobs requiring a four-year degree. At the Skilled Careers Coalition, we’re on a mission to help young people and their families see the incredible opportunities in fields like electrical work, HVAC, repair services, and much more. With skilled careers, Gen-Z can find a career with six-figure earnings, no crushing college debt, and a career built on skill and demand. What would change if more students (and parents) knew this? Let’s start the conversation. #SkilledCareers #FutureOfWork #NoCollegeDebt https://lnkd.in/eHxPTtrJ

To close out #WomensHistoryMonth, we asked Paige Knowles to record her reactions to Skills JAM's 'Female Fixers' panel. This group of strong emboldened women inspires us every month and we couldn't be prouder to join them in encouraging more women to join the trades. You can watch the full panel on our YouTube (#linkbelow) - let us know your thoughts and share your reactions to this candid conversation with us in the comments. https://lnkd.in/gBRXc4WF #WomenInTrades #BlueCollarWomen #WomenInConstruction #SkilledTrades #SkilledCareers

Career success isn't about degrees, corner offices, or chasing dreams. It's about mastering valuable skills and seizing real opportunities ⚙️ In this episode of Young and Profiting with Hala Taha, mikeroweWORKS shatters career myths and reveals why #skilledtrades and overlooked industries are goldmines for entrepreneurs. Mike shares the mindset shifts needed to achieve financial freedom in today's job market. What are your thoughts? Why do you think the skilled trades are overlooked and how can we shift that mentality? 💭 https://lnkd.in/gXijzCuU

Meet Sarah, a FIRST alum using her STEM skills to help develop John Deere's automatous tractor. As Sarah puts it, to #GetAnywhere, “I think the biggest key is just having a sense of curiosity.”   Discover more inspiring #FIRSTAlumni stories: https://hubs.ly/Q038L7RW0

Can a robot high-five, dance and serve frozen yogurt with toppings? 🤖 At #ProMat2025, we saw it live. Thanks to our friends at MHI: The Association That Makes Supply Chains Work and Christian Dow, we had the chance to explore the future of materials handling—and it is wildly impressive. In this clip, Kevin Uznanski of Locus Robotics interacts with the incredible humanoid robot built by Reflex Robotics, led by Mason Massie, CTO. This robot isn’t just for show. It can: ✅ Pick and pack ✅ Cut wood ✅ Palletize ✅ And yes… serve up frozen yogurt with toppings As automation and robotics proliferate in logistics and supply chain environments, the opportunity for young people to join the skilled workforce is growing fast. Especially those who love building, tinkering, and competing in programs like FIRST Robotics. Behind every robot are highly trained mechatronics technicians—the service techs who install, maintain, and repair the systems that keep warehouses and factories running smoothly. Stay tuned for our 'Skills Jam Goes to Work: ProMat Edition' episode, where we’ll spotlight the game-changing innovations and the careers making them possible. #SkilledCareers #SkillsJam #FutureOfWork #FIRSTRobotics #ReflexRobotics #LocusRobotics #MHI #ProMat2025 #Automation #SupplyChainCareers #CTE #RoboticsCareers