The trades tap TikTok to woo young talent

While TikTok may be the reason your kids have become semi-pro dancers, the platform, which boasts over 170 million U.S. users, has become a force in growing awareness of both the trades and the broader construction industry.

What’s happening: Many are using the platform to share informative, behind-the-scenes perspectives on careers in the industry, news site Construction Dive highlights, adding that the movement has become a “significant influence” on Gen Z’s career choices. 

• What they’re saying: “A lot of people don’t really know these are careers that you can do without being $100,000 in debt,” Chelsea Fenton, a construction-focused TikToker, tells the company.
• “My most successful video was me just talking about how much I made, how I bought a house at 27, and showing them the positives,” she adds. 

Zoom in: Industry groups SkillsUSA and Skilled Careers Coalition in May inked a partnership with TikTok, aimed at elevating the trades with targeted content production, as demand for skilled talent continues to grow across the U.S. 

• “The collaboration, which underscores how TikTok is becoming the go-to destination for career exploration and inspiration, highlights how creators can influence students’ interest in trade schools, apprenticeships, and high-demand CTE careers,” the announcement said.  

State of play: 10 HVAC-focused creators alone count over 900,000 combined followers, according to FeedSpot, while nearly 550,000 posts include an #hvac tag, and another 56,000 include #skilledtrades. 

• “TikTok is great at storytelling… and it’s a platform that a lot of young individuals are engaging in,” said Mark Hedstrom, executive director of the Skilled Careers Coalition. “A lot of [the] approach with this collaboration is to meet young students where they’re at.”

Why it matters: Demand for HVAC and plumbing technicians is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations over the next eight years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

• The intrigue: While TikTok has likely played a role in driving interest, the trend comes as enthusiasm for the trades was already growing: The number of students enrolled in HVAC-specific programs at public, two-year schools rose 29 percent year-over-year this spring, as Homepros previously reported, and is up 32 percent since 2020. 

What to watch: The U.S. platform, which also counts over seven million business accounts, faces a September 17 deadline to sell to an American owner or be banned. 

The bottom line: “Every day, we see incredible creators on TikTok showcasing what life is really like in the trades,” said Michael Beckerman, TikTok’s head of Americas public policy. 

• “By shining a spotlight on skilled trades, we’re not only celebrating this essential work, but also helping to drive interest and create new job opportunities in industries that need talent,” he added.