Gen Z and the Skilled Trades: Equipping the “Toolbelt Generation”

The conversation about preparing today’s students for life after high school is changing.

For years, the conversation focused primarily on college as the ultimate goal. Now, members of Generation Z, sometimes called the “toolbelt generation,” are paving a different way forward. They’re embracing skilled trades, pursuing apprenticeships, and blending education with hands-on experience in ways that reimagine career readiness.

We’ve been talking with leaders across education and industry about what this shift means. In a recent conversation, Jamie Candee, Edmentum’s President and CEO, and Doug Donovan, Founder and CEO of Interplay Learning, discussed the future of career and technical education (CTE), industry partnerships, and how simulation-based learning can open new doors for students.

Their discussion explored the importance of this moment and how schools and districts can respond with meaningful action.

The Rise of the “Toolbelt Generation”

Candee explained that the shift toward trades is not only a practical option but also an important advantage for students and families. When schools can give students access to trade-focused programs in high school, those students are positioned to graduate ready for work. Instead of waiting until after graduation to start building skills, they leave school prepared to step directly into meaningful employment.

last year explained the trend by exploring how rising tuition costs, student debt, and the appeal of stable and well-paying careers are making trade schools and apprenticeships more attractive. The article profiled Sy Kirby, who bypassed college and went to work at his local water department. By age 32, he had founded his own construction company and now mentors younger workers who are also choosing trades over traditional degrees. He described the value in no uncertain terms: “Blue-collar work is lucrative and allows me to call the shots in my life.” At the same time, he noted that stigma still lingers around so-called “dirty jobs.” 

However, that stigma is fading for Gen Z. A growing number of students see trades as a smart, future-focused choice.

PBS News echoed this trend in , highlighting booming enrollment in training programs for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work. More than half of Gen Zers now believe it’s possible to secure a well-paying job with only a high school diploma if they also acquire specific skills. The Education Data Initiative confirms the economic pressures driving this shift: the average cost of college in the United States has more than doubled in the twenty-first century.

Preparing for College and Career

This shift doesn’t mean college is off the table. It’s just that it’s no longer the only pathway. A recent Edmentum article describes how secondary schools are evolving: “Instead of focusing solely on college or jumping straight into a job, more districts are embracing approaches that prepare students for both.”

Candee emphasized the importance of giving students more than one pathway by reflecting on her own family’s story. Her father spent his career in the trades, earning HVAC certification and eventually working his way into leadership after returning to school through the GI Bill. His journey combined hands-on work with formal education, showing that the two do not have to be separate. 

Candee pointed out that students should not feel pressured to choose between college or career. She argued that the most effective approach is to let both options exist together, so a student who begins working in the trades right after high school can still pursue higher education later if they want to, and a student who heads to college can also build practical skills that make them employable along the way. 

She stressed that the conversation should expand to include multiple pathways, rather than forcing young people to commit to a single choice.

This blended approach is incredibly important. When schools offer career exploration alongside core academics, students see relevance across their entire learning experience. Research shows that when students perceive school as connected to real futures, chronic absenteeism decreases and graduation rates rise. This reinforces the importance of career-connected learning as both a workforce strategy and a powerful solution to persistent challenges in K–12 education.

Understanding the Power of Partnerships and Apprenticeships

Candee and Donovan both emphasized the importance of partnerships between schools, employers, and industry groups. Donovan explained Interplay Learning’s approach: “We actually started with the employers. We went to the employers and said, ‘What do you need to support a new hire?’”

That employer-first focus ensures students are not just learning theory but practicing skills that matter on day one of the job. In many states, CTE coursework can even count toward apprenticeship requirements. Donovan put it this way: “In a lot of cases, this content will count actually towards an apprenticeship program . . . so, know that wherever you are and however you are consuming this, there has been thought put into what we are doing and why we are doing it.”

For districts, this means CTE is not only about academic preparation but also about establishing real-world pipelines into high-demand industries. Successful industry partnerships and apprenticeship programs provide students with exposure to authentic work experiences, which helps create stronger ties between schools and local economies.

Funding remains a concern, but Edmentum’s Career-Connected Learning Toolkit helps administrators identify resources and strategies to expand CTE. Hadley Blangy, Edmentum’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, outlines this in her recent article about maximizing funding for Career and Technical Education (CTE), which guides educators in leveraging Perkins V and other funding sources to strengthen career pathways.

Meeting Students Where They Are

One of the biggest barriers to high-quality trade prep has always been access. Traditional CTE programs often require expensive labs, specialized equipment, and strong local industry connections. For many schools, those conditions have been out of reach.

Technology is providing a new path. Through Edmentum Career: Trade Prep, students can explore nine job-ready programs including HVAC, plumbing, clean energy, and solar installation, through immersive 3D simulations.

Students gain pre-apprenticeship experiences, build real-world skills, and graduate more competitively, all without districts needing to spend millions on physical facilities. As Candee observed, “Now we are actually opening up the doors of possibility . . . for the local small businesses who are in desperate need to fill these roles and do not have a labor force to fill it.”

This digital-first approach also ensures access and opportunity. Students in rural or under-resourced communities gain access to the same cutting-edge learning as peers in better-funded districts. Virtual environments replicate the benefits of expensive training centers and allow students to practice skills that once could only be taught in person.

Durable Skills and Careers

With the skilled trades, technical expertise isn’t all that’s required. Employers are equally focused on durable skills such as communication, problem-solving, and initiative. Candee explained that Edmentum is weaving these skills throughout its CTE curriculum: “We have gotten very serious around incorporating durable skills . . . what we once thought of as ‘soft skills.’ Leadership, critical thinking, ambition. We are now building more applications of those skills into our CTE courses.”

Donovan emphasized that some careers remain resilient despite technological change. “In a world of AI where everything feels uncertain,” he said, “what is not going to happen is your A/C getting fixed by some AI device anytime soon. These are really durable careers.”

Together, durable skills and durable careers form a powerful foundation. Students gain job-ready abilities and develop the confidence and adaptability to continue evolving their skillsets (and mindsets) throughout their lives.

Meeting the Economic Moment

There is bipartisan support for workforce development initiatives, and states are increasingly taking the lead in designing programs that integrate career preparation into K–12 education. Candee pointed to  as a strong example of collaboration between state legislatures, departments of education, and workforce agencies.

Meanwhile, employers face urgent labor shortages. Donovan referenced the more than 400,000 open HVAC positions nationwide. Families are also grappling with the affordability crisis in higher education. Because the cost of college has risen dramatically, many students are understandably unwilling or unable to take on considerable long-term debt.

Candee spoke to the importance of acting quickly: “Now is the time for application so we can really serve these kids.”

Watch the interview here or continue reading below:

What Schools Can Do Next

For district leaders, career-connected learning is no longer optional. Students want it, employers need it, and tools to implement it are available and scalable.

As such, here are three steps schools can take today:

• Explore Edmentum’s Career-Connected Learning Toolkit:��This collection of resources provides practical strategies to expand CTE offerings and align them with student needs.
• Learn About Edmentum Career: Trade Prep:��With immersive simulation-based trade training, students can access hands-on preparation in HVAC, electrical, plumbing, clean energy, and more.
• Leverage funding strategically:��Use guidance from our article “How to Maximize Funding for Career and Technical Education (CTE)” to maximize state and federal support for career programs.

Rethinking Education

Gen Z isn’t waiting for others to define their future. They’re rethinking education, embracing hands-on learning, and demonstrating that success after high school doesn’t always require a four-year degree.

Robust CTE programs equip students with practical job skills while helping them navigate their post-high school options and build the confidence to pursue opportunities that align with their strengths and interests. For today’s students, this means more options, less debt, and careers that are durable and rewarding. For educators and district leaders, it’s an invitation to reimagine what’s possible. 

The future of career readiness is already here, and the “toolbelt generation” is leading the way.