Let me just come out and say it. College isn’t for everyone.
And yet, walk into any high school today, and you’ll see it plastered everywhere. Posters about scholarships, recruiters for universities, guidance counselors pushing “college prep.”
What you don’t see? A single sign that says, “Hey! You can build a career in the trades that pays six figures, has stability, and doesn’t leave you drowning in debt.”
As someone who has spent over two decades helping blue collar companies tackle hiring challenges, I’m fired up. We’re not just dealing with a labor crisis. We’re dealing with a mindset problem. Parents are unintentionally steering their kids away from an incredible opportunity.
The College Default Isn’t Working
In the United States, student loan debt is nearly $150 BILLION dollars! On average, it’s taking borrowers nearly 20 years to pay off their loans.
Parents are watching their kids graduate with tens of thousands of dollars in student debt, holding degrees that often lead nowhere. I recently heard about a smart, hardworking young adult with a degree in communications. He spent over $50,000 on his degree. You know what he’s doing? Driving for Uber. Why? Because nobody told him that becoming a heavy equipment operator could have set him up with an incredible salary right out of high school. No debt required.
The reality is, the path that’s supposed to guarantee success (college), isn’t delivering for a lot of young people. Meanwhile, blue collar companies are desperate for people who can show up, learn, and grow with them.
Parents Hold the Keys to Changing the Game
Every time I talk with owners about their hiring challenges, the same frustration comes up: They can’t get enough young people excited about the work. But maybe it’s not that they’re aren’t interested, but rather they just aren’t aware of the possibilities.
Parents are the gatekeepers. They’re the ones putting the pressure on to go to college. Imagine if instead they say, “You know what? The trades could give you financial freedom and a real future.”
Why does it have to take failure in college for parents to see that the trades are a legitimate and successful option?
Rewriting the Narrative
The biggest obstacle to solving blue collar hiring challenges isn’t a lack of opportunity or even a lack of people. It’s a branding problem.
Here’s what kids hear:
- College = Success, Respect, Money
- Trades = Dirty, Low Pay, No Future
That’s garbage. I know electricians making more than engineers. I know welders and project managers with new trucks, vacation homes, and freedom to live life on their terms. But that story isn’t being told in classrooms. Or in living rooms.
Let’s be real: the trades require brains. You can’t build a bridge, run HVAC systems, or wire a commercial building without problem solving skills and sharp thinking. The stereotype that this is “fallback work” is ruining the industry.
What Blue Collar Companies Can Do
So, how do we fight back against this? How do we turn parents into advocates instead of obstacles?
Step 1: Open Your Doors
Host open houses and jobsite tours for high school students and their parents. When parents see the technology, safety, and career paths in action, it changes the conversation.
Step 2: Showcase Success Stories
Put your younger employees front and center. A 20 year old apprentice buying his first house is a more powerful message to parents than any recruiter in a suit talking about tuition and degrees.
Step 3: Partner With Schools
Don’t just talk to kids. Talk to guidance counselors and teachers. They’re often the people reinforcing the college plan.
Step 4: Market to Parents
I know this sounds backwards, but run ads aimed at moms and dads. Position your company as a career launchpad that beats the student debt trap.
When you start spotlighting stories of employees in their 20s who are earning more than their friends with degrees, parents will see it. And applications will start rolling in.
The Bottom Line
If you’re frustrated by blue collar hiring challenges, stop thinking about job boards and recruiters. The battle starts at the dinner table. Until parents believe the trades are a worthy, respectable, and profitable career path for their kids, you’ll keep fighting an uphill battle.
It’s time we flip the script. College isn’t the only ticket to success. And the sooner parents start telling their kids that, the sooner we’ll start solving the labor crisis that’s holding back this industry.
