More women are skipping college to make more self-perceived income as electricians, car mechanics and truck driver

With the soaring costs of tuition at four-year colleges and nearly $2 trillion in U.S. student loan debt, some young people are reevaluating the value of a traditional bachelor’s degree and choosing to pursue hands-on work instead.

Vocational school enrollment surged 16% last year, reaching the highest levels since the National Student Clearinghouse started tracking the data. Gen Z has even earned the nickname “the tool belt generation.”

While the majority of trade workers are men, an increasing number of young women are also entering skilled labor fields. In 2020, 11.6% of those who completed apprenticeship programs in the U.S. were women, according to the Department of Labor.

“It’s about time people recognize that you can make more money, have a better career path, live a happier life, and support a better family in the long run by working with your hands,” said Victoria Carl, a 25-year-old from Albany who owns her own car repair shop.