Manual trades gain appeal in the US and France as AI advances
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Xataka reports that the so-called “toolbelt generation” is choosing plumbing, electrical work, carpentry and mechanics as alternatives to university in the US. Enrollment in construction and mechanics programs rose 30% between 2022 and 2024, according to the National Student Clearinghouse, and Los Angeles Trade-Technical College has waiting lists for nearly all of its two-year technical programs. Students cited by Xataka see these trades as combining affordable training, job demand and less exposure to AI automation.
In France, Le Monde described professionals who left law, communications, graphic design or e-commerce to work as a pastry chef, mosaic artist, teacher or craftswoman. Their accounts connect the shift not only to fear of unemployment, but also to a desire to create something tangible and regain meaning in their work.
Why it matters · editorial interpretation
The accounts suggest that AI’s advance may influence educational and career choices for different reasons: in the US, because of perceived lower exposure to automation; in France, also because of a search for tangible, more meaningful work. This broadens the debate over how AI is reshaping career expectations.
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