Students at the Henry Ford Trade School being taught shop trigonometry in the 1940s, in Dearborn, Mich. FPG/Getty Images
Enrollment in trade schools is on the rise, led by a wave of Generation Z students who are eschewing traditional two- and four-year colleges in favor of specialized vocational and technical education, higher ed marketing and research firm Validated Insights found.
Gen Z’s enrollment at trade schools spiked 1,421 percent over the past eight years, according to Validated Insight’s trade school market insights report released on Sept. 19. Enrollment at trade schools is projected to increase 6.6 percent through 2030, with the bulk of enrollment coming from Generation Z (13–28) students coming of age.
