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It's no secret that Generation Z is entrepreneurial. Research shows that the majority would choose a job as a social media creator over a regular 9-to-5 job. Almost half go one step further and start a part-time job in order to be able to afford “the normal thing”.
Now, new research shows that vocational schools could also contribute to Generation Z's entrepreneurial ambitions, especially given increasing AI capabilities and rising education costs.
Enrollment at vocational community colleges has increased 16% since 2018, according to a January report from the National Student Clearinghouse. The growth was mostly concentrated in cities and suburbs, where there was a 3.5% and 3.7% increase in students choosing trade programs, respectively.
Related: Most Americans don't believe higher education is worth the cost — but this breakdown of college graduate salaries by state tells a different story
Last year's version of the report found that enrollment in construction, food service and mechanical engineering programs increased by 19.3%, 12.7% and 11.5%, respectively, from 2021 to 2022.
“We're seeing 75% of Generation Z say they're interested in becoming entrepreneurs,” career coach and The Ramsey Show co-host Ken Coleman told Fox Business. “They want to work for themselves… Professions provide a faster, cheaper way to work for yourself, create jobs for other people and participate in the small businesses that are the real backbone of our economy.”
While more students chose business school, fewer chose a four-year bachelor's degree.
A separate report from the National Student Clearinghouse in April detailed that the number of students completing bachelor's degrees fell nearly 3% in the 2022 to 2023 school year — representing an overall decline from the previous year.
Related: The 'bizarrely authoritarian' US education system inspired this husband and wife to co-found a 'genius school' for future entrepreneurs and leaders
In an NPR article published last week, Sy Kirby, a 32-year-old who owns a construction company, said he knew early on that he would choose vocational school — and that he has no regrets.
Kirby chose to work at a local water department at age 19 instead of going to college, he told NPR. He calls Gen Z the “toolbelt generation,” a term also used by the Wall Street Journal.
“I was under a lot of pressure for a guy who knew full well he wasn't going to go to college,” Kirby told NPR. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to sit in a classroom, especially because I knew I wouldn’t be paying for it.”
Create your very own Auto Publish News/Blog Site and Earn Passive Income in Just 4 Easy Steps
