February 5, 2009 - 3:38am
According to the study commissioned by RIDGID, a leading supplier of professional grade tools, only 6% of high school students have plans to have their future career in some trades like plumbers, carpenters, electricians, heating, ventilation or air conditioning installers, or repair people. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the U.S. is likely to need more skilled professionals by 2014 while its number at the moment is reducing due to age aspect.
By 2014 the U.S. will need 29% more HVACR and 21% more plumbing technicians with a total of more than 100,000 skilled workers in the job pool. Out of 500,000 plumbers in the United States about 167,000 are aging specialists.
The survey conducted by KeyStat Marketing and Greenfield Online involved 1,023 respondents divided between 80% males and 20% females. All the polled participants were high school students aged 14 to 18 years enrolled in 9th through 12th grade. Those 94% that showed no interest in trading career cited various reasons of their choice with main factors being a lack of knowledge about the industry and perception of the skilled trades as something that is not cool.
Number one field for graduating senior students was a career in the computer or Internet area (25%) which was followed by 16% of those who want to work in business, 15% in engineering, healthcare, 15% as technicians and 15% in the entertainment/arts field, defined as actor, musician, TV anchor, reporter, producer.
Meantime, those students who had skilled trades vocational classes in high school are more inclined to select a future career in the skilled trades with an overwhelming 77% of them saying they would consider a career in the skilled trades.
By 2014 the U.S. will need 29% more HVACR and 21% more plumbing technicians with a total of more than 100,000 skilled workers in the job pool. Out of 500,000 plumbers in the United States about 167,000 are aging specialists.
The survey conducted by KeyStat Marketing and Greenfield Online involved 1,023 respondents divided between 80% males and 20% females. All the polled participants were high school students aged 14 to 18 years enrolled in 9th through 12th grade. Those 94% that showed no interest in trading career cited various reasons of their choice with main factors being a lack of knowledge about the industry and perception of the skilled trades as something that is not cool.
Number one field for graduating senior students was a career in the computer or Internet area (25%) which was followed by 16% of those who want to work in business, 15% in engineering, healthcare, 15% as technicians and 15% in the entertainment/arts field, defined as actor, musician, TV anchor, reporter, producer.
Meantime, those students who had skilled trades vocational classes in high school are more inclined to select a future career in the skilled trades with an overwhelming 77% of them saying they would consider a career in the skilled trades.