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By Daniel Wright Scroll through TikTok or Instagram and you’ll see it — the trades are trending, with young carpenters racking up video views and proving hard work and good pay still turn heads. They’re changing minds about careers and, yes, making the trades cool again. The question is: Can the rest of us keep up? We need to explain the benefits of a career in the trades much earlier — in more middle schools and high schools. We need to introduce kids to the basics and get tools in their hands. And we must convince students that a career in the trades is not a fallback. It’s a first choice — and often the best choice — for millions of young adults across the country. When we accomplish this, young adults can finally escape the college-or-bust path that too often ends without a degree or a career — only a mountain of debt. The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) is uniquely positioned to lead that change in partnership with guidance and career counselors in our schools. That’s the idea behind expanding Career Connections, the national program from the UBC, into more middle and high schools across the region. Career Connections blends classroom lessons with real-world experience, introducing students to basic tools, materials and safety practices while emphasizing employability skills such as punctuality, teamwork, initiative and problem-solving. When young people see what they can build — and that their skills are in demand — they start to envision a future that doesn’t involve years of debt, uncertainty or bouncing from one dead-end job to the next. Here in New Jersey, the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters and the Carpenter Contractor Trust (CCT) are expanding hands-on learning through partnerships with providers such as Maplewoodshop, which introduces students to woodworking programs that build confidence and skill. The UBC’s Career Connections curriculum is already in use in dozens of New Jersey schools and continues to grow. Students can earn up to 16 college credits through Thomas Edison State University while mastering practical math, safety and jobsite communication — the same skills required in registered apprenticeships. By expanding this curriculum into more middle schools, we can reach students before they choose a single path, spark their interest in the trades and show them that a career built with their hands can also build a solid future. Our message is simple. Union carpenters are the best in the field because their education never stops. The UBC’s four-year registered apprenticeship combines paid, on-the-job learning with advanced classroom instruction. Apprentices earn while they learn, gaining financial stability and practical experience at no cost for tuition. They also earn college credits through accredited partners such as Rowan University and Thomas Edison State University, setting them on a path toward a degree if they choose to pursue one later. Safety is also at the core of everything we do. The UBC prioritizes industry-leading training — OSHA 30, scaffolding safety, first aid, CPR and more. That focus reduces jobsite accidents and also attracts and retains employees who value organizations that invest in their well-being and long-term development. Job site safety practices also save our contractors money by reducing costs associated with injuries and illnesses. And unlike many industries disrupted by artificial intelligence, construction will always require skilled human hands, sharp eyes and teamwork. AI can design a building, but it can’t frame walls, hang drywall or pour concrete. The people who can will always be in demand. That’s why exposing students early is crucial. The average starting age for an apprenticeship today is in the late 20s. Our goal is to bring that closer to 18 — right out of high school — so more graduates can step immediately into good-paying, stable careers. The trades offer something rare in today’s economy: a real career pathway that’s debt-free, where students can earn, learn and grow without sacrificing opportunity. The Carpenters’ program delivers not just wages but full health care coverage, pension and annuity benefits, and a nationally recognized journeyperson credential that’s portable anywhere in the country. When we reach students earlier — starting in middle school, building on programs like Career Connections and showing parents that the skilled trades are a first-choice career — we change the trajectory of lives. We help families thrive, communities grow and the next generation of builders see that success doesn’t require a college loan statement. It requires opportunity, access and a chance to build something that lasts. So here’s a call to every school administrator, guidance counselor and career coach in New Jersey: Start education about the trades earlier. Introduce these opportunities in middle school — not a student’s senior year. The future of our workforce, and our children’s future, depends on it.
