“Make Trades Great Again”: New Harris Poll Finds Changing Minds Critical to Saving the Trades

A new report is out TODAY, July 30th, from the Harris Poll that examines the perception of skilled trades in America. This at a time when skilled training both in adapting high school curriculum and in opting for skilled trade advanced training, over liberal arts college – both out of consideration of the cost and the ability to get a job that is desirable going into the future in the United States.

A few key points of the Harris Poll are: 

•Skilled trades are essential but often overlooked: 91% of Americans believe trade jobs are as important to society as white-collar jobs, with 63% strongly agreeing.

• Although skilled trades offer a faster and more affordable path to a solid and well-paying career, these trade careers are disregarded in schools.

•Generational gap in career outlooks: Just 38% of Gen Z sees skilled trades as offering the best job opportunities today, compared to 40% of millennials and 45% of Gen X.

• Gen Z are less likely to see the benefits of a skilled trade career. In fact, most people of all ages do not realize how high-paying skilled trades can be overall.

•Barriers to entering skilled trades: Perceptions of low prestige, lack of awareness, societal pressure toward college, and concerns about pay are key obstacles to pursuing these careers.

READ HARRIS POLL HERE

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• Expansion to Short-Term Workforce Training: The law expands Pell Grant eligibility to include short-term (between eight and 15 weeks), non-degree workforce training programs. This is a major change, as historically, Pell Grants have been restricted to programs lasting at least 600 clock hours or 15 weeks. This is commonly referred to as the Workforce Pell or Short-Term Pell Grant. It will take effect starting July 1, 2026.
• Focus on Workforce Development: This expansion aims to make educational programs more accessible to adult students and to encourage participation in the credentials sector, which offers shorter programs in fields like healthcare, IT, and skilled trades.
• Budget Proposal and Potential Cuts: It’s important to note that despite this expansion, the proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 also calls for significant cuts to higher education funding, including a reduction of the maximum Federal Pell Grant award to $5,710 a year from $7,395, and scaling back the Federal Work-Study program. These proposed cuts would help fund the new tax and spending bill. The maximum Pell Grant amount would drop from $7,395 to $5,710 for the 2026-27 school year if this proposal is enacted, although trade schools may be less expensive which would offset the reduction.

The Harris Poll leaves a wide path of hope for actions industry can take to increase visibility, awareness of salary levels and career paths, and old-fashioned branding efforts. The feeder for professional trades training may begin at the high school level with more emphasis on restoring or creating trade classes such as “shop” again. Education groups seem open to this but it will take time to have these classes become integrated into a high school curriculum, rather than the approach it has been, an exclusive vocational and often separate school.

As stated in the Harris Poll: While Skilled Trade Excitement Lags Among Younger Americans, The Future Points to Skills And Credentials Being Just As Critical As Traditional University Degrees