Local Organizations Propel Next Generation’s Shift to Trade Work

In a parking lot on the campus of Austin Community College’s Riverside campus on an April afternoon, eight teams of Central Texas high school students are constructing their own small structures. They’re participating in a design-build competition sponsored by ACC and the Construction Industry Education Foundation. Just across the lot, applied technology students take classes in fields like building construction, welding, and HVAC technology.

In a time when many college-age adults harbor resentment against the failed promises of a four-year degree, and as the threat of AI looms over entry-level, white-collar jobs, the relative stability and pay of blue-collar work is becoming increasingly attractive to those figuring out their next step. A May 2025 survey concluded that – largely due to financial stability – 42% of Gen Z respondents are either employed in blue-collar occupations or are pursuing the route, and 37% of those individuals hold a bachelor’s degree.

The growth of ACC’s skilled trade programs reflects the study’s findings. Its trade programs have grown by more than 17% over the past year, according to the university. Jam-packed with students, the highly desired courses often fill up within hours of opening, according to Troy DeFrates, dean of Design, Manufacturing, Construction & Applied Technologies at ACC and former welding student at the college. “We’re out of space right now, so I think we need to expand,” he said. As demand continues to rise, the college is intending to do just that. 

Last month, ACC purchased a 560,000-square-foot facility for its new Southeast Austin campus, making additional space for its workforce training programs and the university’s Infrastructure Academy. The academy launched in 2025 in collaboration with the city, ACC, and Workforce Solutions Capital Area, a nonprofit supporting individuals in their search for local jobs. The academy is intended to help properly prepare students to meet the growing demand for workers for large-scale construction efforts like the I-35 and light rail expansions and the convention center redevelopment. The rapid, controversial emergence of data centers in Texas is also driving demand for skilled labor.

Through a partnership with Arizona-based Sundt Construction officially launching in August, ACC plans on creating new construction training programs, apprenticeship opportunities, and a direct employment pipeline from graduation to the company. Having worked on several major projects like the 183 North Mobility Project, the Lake McQueeney and Lake Placid Dam replacements, and several data centers, Sundt’s large presence in Texas has created a need for more employees in the field. The university’s partnership with Sundt could help land students jobs immediately following graduation, eliminating time spent on a post-grad job search.

“We’ve been hearing a lot the past several years that the commercial construction industry, and really just the construction industry and world in general, [feels] that they have hiring shortages and they want to have a pipeline of trained workforce that they can hire from,” DeFrates said. “I think that folks are intrigued by construction type jobs, [but] they’re not quite sure how to get into them.”

He’s not entirely sure how much the fear of AI is driving enrollment, pointing instead to increased marketing efforts and the newly implemented free tuition for recent high school graduates. “You don’t have to go into debt to get this type of training,” DeFrates said.

Apart from the fear of AI eating up jobs, some students simply enjoy the free-flowing  class settings the programs offer. “I have ADHD, so sitting in classrooms is not the easiest,” said Colin Filippo, a welding student at ACC. “I found that [working] with my hands, working in a shop like this, helps me focus more.” 

Beyond financial incentives, Filippo says he genuinely enjoys the process. “I realized it’s basically just arts and crafts for adults,” he said. Filippo plans to earn an associate of applied sciences degree, which would qualify him for a multitude of different welding jobs.

Austin’s growing web of trade schools extends far beyond ACC. The Austin-based Goodwill Career & Technical Academy offers similar training with a focus on “supporting individuals who are experiencing barriers to employment,” said Alexis Denny, the academy’s senior director. “Most people don’t associate occupational training with Goodwill. They come in the doors because they’re looking for support with maybe housing or food, and then through their work with case management, an opportunity is uncovered for occupational training.”

The free program serves around 300 students, with 60% training in skilled trades and the rest in healthcare, according to Denny. 

“These are the jobs of the future,” she added. “All the data centers that are coming into Texas, they need plumbers, electricians for all of those things.”

The Other Ones Foundation, another nonprofit in the Austin area, provides vocational skills training through a partnership with ACC and WSCA for members of the Esperanza Community, a transitional shelter for those experiencing homelessness. The recently established John Paul DeJoria Vocational Skills Center serves as the home for this training. The center is staffed with several ACC instructors and aims to help participants transition into jobs in fields like automotive repair, HVAC, and welding. 

While the fear of a technological apocalypse may linger in the minds of upcoming youth, there’s still hope found in the organizations promoting work that – for now – escapes the grasp of AI, earns a living wage, and can be spiritually fulfilling.

“It’s gratifying to build things,” DeFrates added. “You become a certified welder, and you know that that’s not going to get replaced by AI.”

The post Local Organizations Propel Next Generation’s Shift to Trade Work appeared first on The Austin Chronicle.