Over the last four years, demand for skilled trades has grown three times faster than professional roles, according to a report from Validated Insights. It was initially projected that trade roles would expand roughly 6 percent annually through 2030, however the number was grossly underestimated as 2025 trade school revenue is up 11.4 percent year-over-year.
The largest growth in skilled trades includes the following sectors:
It is not surprising that there has been an increase in students going off to trade schools rather than a traditional four-year university. As FacilitiesNet has reported, The Wall Street Journal has dubbed Gen Z the “toolbelt generation” with many taking an interest in a career in the trades. Nearly 80 percent of students are first exposed to a career in trades by the time they are 15 years old.
Meanwhile, 27 percent of students aged 13 years or younger have already been exposed. Schools have been critical in exposing the next generation of workers to careers in trades. Thirty-one percent of students said they first heard about skilled-trade careers during the school day, whether it be by a teacher, guidance counselor, career day or just available classes. Based on 2025 revenue, the report found that trade education programs are now a $19.1 billion market, making up 12 percent of the total U.S. education market.
“Reaching students in high school and even middle school is where real awareness of facilities management begins,” Caroline Horton said during an episode of the Facilities in Focus podcast. “If students don’t know facilities management exists, they can’t choose it as a career.”
Not only has early exposure to a career bode well for the industry, many Gen Zers believe that the jobs are AI and recession-proof, calling it a “stable” career option. As previously reported by FacilitiesNet, nearly half of Gen Zers with bachelor’s degrees say that they are likely to pursue a trade in the coming year.
By 2030 more than 370,000 positions will remain unfilled for construction and electrical jobs, both of which require some type of formal training programs. Demand for trade jobs is also concentrating as well. Job postings have increased for the following positions in just six months:
According to the report, one of the biggest challenges in securing tradespeople is just how long it takes to hire them. Hiring someone in the skilled trade can take upward of 56 days, while it is just 54 days for a desk-based professional position.
While trade schools have seen significant growth in recent years, enrollments continue to outpace capacity in available programming. Skilled-trade classes are limited, with 41 percent saying that they have access to their programs within their school. When classes are provided, it is commonly cited to be their favorite subject.
Mackenna Moralez is the managing editor of the facilities market and the host of the Facilities in Focus podcast.
