Young students seeking long-term stability and a future-proof profession in a labor market where artificial intelligence is rapidly changing and occasionally displacing occupations.
An increasing number of young people in Britain and other countries are choosing to pursue a skilled trade, such as becoming plumbers.
AI and robotics are thought to have a greater potential to disrupt white-collar jobs than manual labor. According to a poll last month by the professional human resources organization Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, one in six businesses in Britain anticipate using AI capabilities to enable them to cut staff within the next 12 months.
AI is viewed by some young people as a helpful tool, but it cannot take the place of manual labor-intensive skills like plumbing, which many avoid because of their physical demands and the persistent stigma associated with professions like electrical work, carpentry, and welding.
Growing demand for hands-on training
Rather than being a university, CWC, a member of the United Colleges Group, is a facility for higher education and training. Enrollment in its engineering, architecture, and built environment courses has increased by 9.6% over the last three years; CEO Stephen Davis attributed this increase in part to the development of artificial intelligence and to students’ concerns about the high expense of higher education.
Some young people are choosing not to attend college in order to avoid the potential debt of thousands of pounds.
The largest union umbrella in the UK, the Trades Union Congress, polled 2,600 adults in August and found that half of them were concerned about how AI would affect their professions, with those between the ages of 25 and 35 being especially apprehensive.
“There’s a lot of anxiety among young people right now that their jobs are automated away,” stated Bouke Klein Teeselink, an AI researcher and lecturer at King’s College in London.
According to Teeselink’s King’s College report, which was released in October, junior roles are disproportionately affected by AI-driven workforce reductions, making it more difficult for young people to climb the career ladder.
Similar trend changes are being reported by other universities.
The CEO of Capital City College in London, Angela Joyce, reported that interest in trades including construction, plumbing, and hospitality had increased significantly.
“This shows that more people are recognising the value of becoming skilled professionals,” Joyce stated, noting that apprenticeships might be more lucrative than degrees for certain individuals.
According to Davis, AI has encouraged individuals who want to change occupations as well as young people to think more strategically. According to him, many people are looking for greater pay and employment security.
The Office for National Statistics reports that experienced construction and building trades professionals normally make about 35,764 pounds annually, while plumbers make an average of 37,881 pounds ($50,169). In contrast, the average income for all sectors is 39,039 pounds.
However, Davis pointed out that specialized trades frequently give people more chances to manage their own companies, which raises their income potential.
According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, undergraduate enrollment at UK universities decreased by 1.1% in 2023–2024 compared to the previous academic year, marking the first yearly dip in almost ten years.
Teeselink pointed out that due to the “intricate work” involved, it would be quite some time before robot plumbers took over.
According to Davis, students enrolled in classes like plumbing were in a good position even though robotics technology was developing quickly.
“Sometimes plumbers have to put their hands down the toilet to unblock it … and I’m yet to meet a robot that does that for us,” said Davis.
