For years, trade jobs came with a stigma. They were seen as backup plans—a route for people who didn't go to college or couldn't land a white-collar job. But that perception is shifting fast. Gen Z is now eyeing tool belts and hard hats as a smart, stable alternative to corporate life. Still, some who've actually done the work say it's not all it's hyped up to be.
"I've worked in the trades: it's overrated," one 28-year-old wrote in a Reddit post that struck a nerve. He spent seven years in HVAC, and said the physical toll showed up early. "Last year my knees and back started bothering me," he explained. "I used to play full court basketball on the weekends with my friends, but I had to stop that because I would be exhausted after working all week."
