AI Concerns Push Gen Z Toward Skilled Trades, Study Finds
Date Posted: October 13, 2026
Posted In: What we are thinking about, Workforce,
by Tom Finan, Executive Director, Construction Forum
Nearly half of young adults surveyed are learning or seriously considering a skilled trade. For construction employers, that signals an opportunity to turn interest into careers.
Thumbtack’s third annual Future of the Skilled Trades Report finds that uncertainty about artificial intelligence and the job market is reshaping career plans. Thirty percent of Gen Z respondents say AI has increased their interest in the trades.
Young People Seek Stability
More than 80 percent of respondents believe building a stable career has become harder in recent years. Four in five believe AI will eliminate many traditional entry-level jobs.
The trades increasingly look attractive. Eighty-two percent believe they offer better long-term job security than many office jobs. Three in four see them as potentially among the smartest career choices for their generation.
Those responses measure perceptions and interest. They do not establish how many young people will enter training, secure jobs or stay in the industry.
Career Changers Join the Workforce
The report also points to opportunities beyond traditional school-to-work recruiting.
Among surveyed trade professionals with less than two years in the industry, 38 percent previously held corporate or white-collar jobs. Twenty-six percent entered after burnout prompted a career reset.
Meanwhile, 35 percent of surveyed professionals regularly use AI in their businesses, most often for marketing, customer communications and research.
For employers, those findings suggest two recruiting messages: Previous career experience can transfer into the trades, and hands-on work can offer opportunities to use new technology.
Turn Interest Into Access
For St. Louis workforce partners, the practical question is how to help interested people take the next step.
Employers and training providers can make that step clearer by explaining entry requirements, starting wages, training schedules and opportunities for advancement. Paid work experience and access to mentors can help candidates understand the daily realities of a trade.
Growing interest creates an opening. Converting it into a stronger workforce requires accessible training, employers willing to develop beginners and support that helps new workers stay.
About the Study
The Gen Z survey included 1,000 U.S. respondents ages 16–30, surveyed July 20–21, 2026. Its reported margin of error was 3.1 percentage points. A separate survey collected responses from 1,495 Thumbtack professionals working primarily in home construction, maintenance and systems. Those findings reflect that group’s experiences rather than the entire construction workforce.