🎓💼 Teaching in the Moment: What Gen Z’s Shift Toward Skilled Trades Can Teach Us
A growing number of Gen Z students are questioning the traditional “college-for-all” pathway — and for good reason. The CNBC feature “Gen Z Ditching College for Blue-Collar Careers” explores how young people are redefining success, rediscovering the value of skilled trades, and demanding education that feels relevant and purposeful.
For secondary educators and CTE teachers, this cultural shift offers a moment to help students connect what they learn today with who they hope to become tomorrow.
🔍 Key Takeaways for Educators
1. Relevance beats rhetoric. Students aren’t rejecting education—they’re rejecting irrelevance. Bring learning to life with local examples, industry projects, and short “Pop-In” visits from professionals who use the very skills you teach.
2. College now means many things. The video highlights apprenticeships, technical programs, and credentials that open doors to high-wage, high-demand careers. Help students see all their options—community college, on-the-job training, or four-year degrees—as valid pathways.
3. Students crave autonomy and purpose. gGuide students through career-planning tools such as My Next Move or Oregon CIS. These help them make intentional, informed decisions about what comes next.
4. The skills conversation is shifting. Employers consistently cite communication, adaptability, and reliability as top hiring traits. Connect these to Oregon’s Employability Skills and reflect with students on where they practice them in your classroom.
🧭 Classroom Integration Ideas
Career Pathway Fridays: Spotlight one career each week—include earnings, required training, and local connections.
Pop-In Days: Partner with colleagues to host brief industry visits (in person or virtual). The Gorge STEM Hub’s Educator-Industry Matchmaking Dashboard is a great starting point for finding vetted regional partners ready to engage with your students.
Reality-Check Budgeting: Compare costs, salaries, and lifestyles of different postsecondary routes to spark practical discussions.
Gen Z isn’t “ditching” education—they’re asking for education with purpose. When classrooms integrate real-world stories, employability skills, and community partnerships, students begin to see that the future isn’t a single path—it’s a network of opportunities waiting to be explored.