# Gen Z trades for hands-on work

> Gen Z skips college for skilled trades as AI threatens office jobs.
- Title: Gen Z trades for hands-on work · The San Francisco Standard
- Summary: Gen Z skips college for skilled trades as AI threatens office jobs. Gen Z youth are choosing hands-on careers over college due to rising costs and AI…
- Keywords: gen z, skilled trades, construction, ai impact, college costs, apprenticeships, career choices, trade schools, jvs, san francisco, news, local
- Source: The San Francisco Standard — https://sfstandard.com/2026/10/10/genz-trade-work-tool-belt-generation
- Published: 2026-10-10T13:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: gen z, skilled trades, construction, ai impact, college costs, apprenticeships, career choices, trade schools, jvs, san francisco, news, local
## Gen Z skips college
Young people are forgoing desk jobs for hands-on careers as college costs rise and AI disrupts entry-level positions.
## Adam Asad's plan
17-year-old Adam Asad plans to skip college and enter construction after high school graduation in may.
## Construction skills
Adam learns to use nail guns, sanding belts, table saws and other tools through building and construction classes.
## Union apprenticeships
After graduation, Adam will be eligible for carpenters union or local contractors like Cahill, Webcor, and Swinerton.
## National trend
Young people increasingly choose skilled trades over white-collar jobs as college costs rise and ai impacts entry-level labor.
## Job security
82% of young adults feel skilled trades offer better job security than office work according to recent survey.
## Trade school growth
Vocational school enrollment has increased roughly 20% since 2.020 with 10.2% rise in undergraduate certification programs.
## AI job security
Adam says construction is an area where ai cannot take over jobs compared to other career paths.
## JVS program shift
JVS shut down its tech training program due to declining entry-level hiring and now focuses on healthcare and skilled trades.
## Auto program growth
JVS automotive program now trains 55 students annually with plans to expand to 70 after city investment.
## Isaia Butler
23-year-old Isaia Butler dropped out of San Jose State University to train as a mechanic after student debt concerns.
## CityBuild program
CityBuild has seen average participant age drop from 31 to 27 over five years for construction training.
## Bandana job board
Bandana job board for apprenticeships has seen 400% increase in pageviews since last year.
## Construction teacher
Chris Wood leads field trips to job sites to show students journeymen earn six-figure salaries in construction.
## Key takeaway

Gen Z youth are choosing hands-on careers over college due to rising costs and AI disrupting entry-level jobs.