From Degrees to Drills: Britons Turning to Skilled Trades as AI Looms
Amid growing fears that artificial intelligence is erasing white-collar jobs, a rising number of young people in Britain are making a conscious pivot — from university degrees to hands-on trades like plumbing, carpentry and electrical work. The shift speaks volumes about changing career priorities in an AI-shaped world. ([Reuters][1])
📈 What’s driving the shift
- AI anxiety among the young. Many workers aged 25–35 fear AI and automation could soon make junior and clerical roles obsolete. According to a recent survey by Trades Union Congress (TUC), half of UK adults expressed concern over AI’s impact on jobs — with younger workers disproportionately worried. ([Reuters][1])
- Enrollment in trades is surging. For instance, City of Westminster College (CWC) in London reported a nearly 10% rise in enrolments in engineering, construction and built-environment programmes over the past three years — a growth college leaders attribute in part to AI-driven job fears and the rising cost of university education. ([Reuters][1])
- Perceived stability and real value. For many, trade jobs are seen as “AI-proof.” 18-year-old plumbing student Maryna Yaroshenko — originally from Ukraine — says plumbing is safe from automation, pointing out that no AI can replicate the hands-on, messy, unpredictable nature of real-world trade work. ([Reuters][1])
🛠 Why skilled trades matter more than ever
- Decline in white-collar appeal. Employers increasingly view AI as a tool to reduce headcounts. According to a recent survey by the professional-HR body Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), one in six UK employers expect to shrink their workforce using AI in the coming year. ([Reuters][1])
- Better pay and self-employment potential. As per the Office for National Statistics (ONS), plumbers earn around £37,881 per year, and other skilled trades about £35,764 — close to, or above, the national average across sectors. For many, trade work isn’t just a fallback — it’s a strategic move. ([Reuters][1])
- A ready market for fresh talent. With much of the current skilled-trades workforce aging, demand for younger, trained workers is projected to remain strong. Many of these trades remain difficult for automation or robotics to replace, preserving the value of human handiwork. ([Reuters][1])
🤔 What this means for the future of work
This trend suggests a recalibration in how younger generations view career security. As AI reshapes traditional office-based pathways, manual — but skilled — labor is regaining stature as a viable, respected, even aspirational alternative to university degrees.
It also sends a strong signal to policymakers and educators: invest more in vocational training, apprenticeships and pathways that equip people for human-centric, hands-on roles that AI cannot easily supplant.
Moreover, the rebalancing between white-collar and blue-collar labour could have longer-term social and economic implications, including changes in income distribution, job satisfaction, self-employment rates, and the cultural prestige attached to trade work.
Glossary
- AI (Artificial Intelligence): Computer systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence — e.g., pattern recognition, decision-making, language understanding.
- White-collar jobs: Typically refer to office-based, non-manual jobs — such as clerical work, administration, professional services, management — often seen as at risk from AI automation.
- Skilled trades / vocational trades: Occupations that require manual skill, practical training, and often vocational education or apprenticeships (e.g., plumbing, electrical, carpentry, construction), rather than academic degrees.
What to watch next
As more young people in Britain — and perhaps beyond — choose trades over degrees, keep an eye on how labour markets evolve: will skilled trades regain societal status and financial competitiveness? Will governments expand support for vocational education and apprenticeships? And how will the balance between automated and human-centric occupations shape the future workforce?
Source: Reuters reporting — “Fearing AI job losses, some young workers in Britain shift towards skilled trades” ([Reuters][1])
| [1]: https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/fearing-ai-job-losses-some-young-workers-britain-shift-towards-skilled-trades-2025-12-02/ “Fearing AI job losses, some young workers in Britain shift towards skilled trades | Reuters” |
