More members of Gen Z are choosing to leave the college path and instead turning to skilled trades, writes Te-Ping Chen for The Wall Street Journal.

According to Michael McGraw, executive director of the Pennsylvania Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association, the trades in Pennsylvania have recorded a significant influx of workers since the pandemic.

Among the reasons for the boost is the rise in pay and new technologies that have helped trade professions discard the image of being dirty, low-end work.

In the southeastern part of Pennsylvania, for example, someone graduating from the trade school five years ago could earn pay of $35,000 a year. Today, that number is closer to $60,000.

Tuition at PHCC is around $3,000 a year. This also helped boost the enrollment numbers, which have increased across the board.

“After Covid, it seemed a lot of people realized the trades are a life-sustaining career path,” said McGraw.

He added that as many other businesses closed their doors at the time, more people realized how reliable skilled trades jobs are.

Read more about why the youngest cohort of American workers have opted to go the skilled trades route at The Wall Street Journal.

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