Why Many in Gen Z Are Ditching College for Training in Skilled Trades
Ask students: Why are many students opting to go into skilled-trade training or community colleges instead of traditional four-year colleges?
As the average cost of college in the United States soars, more young people are being drawn to skilled trades. It’s part of a career rethink among members of Gen Z, who have been called the “toolbelt generation.” Special correspondent Christopher Booker reports.
View the transcript of the story. News alternative: Check out recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
Discussion Questions
- Why are many students opting to go into skilled-trade training or community colleges instead of traditional four-year colleges?
- What are some of the advantages of trade schools and skilled-trade training?
- How much has skilled-trade training grown in recent years?
- Where are some of the places students receiving the sort of training described in this segment?
- Who are some of the teachers interviewed in this segment, and what do they teach?
Focus Questions
Why do you think some students (or their parents) are uncertain about focusing on skills training in high school or just after? Do you think attitudes towards the kinds of careers described in this segment are changing for your generation?
Media literacy: This segment ends with the statistic that 52% of college graduates take jobs that don't require college degrees. Did this stat change your opinion of the value of college education? Why or why not?
Extension Activity
Have you ever heard of Career and Technical Education (CTE)? Watch the video below and read this Educator Voice to learn more.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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