# A Skilled Trades Career Provides a Future-Proof Path

By Greg Crumpton · Published 2024-07-18 · Updated 2026-06-09 · Engineering & Construction on MarketScale
Canonical: https://www.marketscale.com/industries/engineering-and-construction/skilled-trades-career
Creator hub: Straight Outta Crumpton

> Younger workers are increasingly turning away from four-year degrees to pursue careers that guarantee stable income and immediate job prospects

## Key points

- Younger generations, especially Gen Z, are increasingly choosing skilled trades and apprenticeship programs over traditional college degrees.
- Nicole Bass is leveraging TikTok and jointhetrades.com to modernize recruitment and promote HVAC careers to a broader, more diverse audience.
- Advocates are pushing for greater inclusion of women in skilled trades, emphasizing the analytical and problem-solving skills they bring to the field.

Block Field

In today's rapidly changing job market, a skilled trades career offers a viable and attractive option, especially for the younger generations exploring alternatives to traditional college education. Recent trends indicate a significant shift in interest in these hands-on professions.

On [Straight Outta Crumpton](https://marketscale.com/shows/straight-outta-crumpton/), host [Greg Crumpton](https://www.linkedin.com/in/crumptonskilledtrades/) engages in a lively conversation with [Nicole Bass](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleryals/), an HVAC Industry Leader. They discuss the evolving landscape of [skilled trades](https://marketscale.com/industries/business-services/reducing-the-gap-in-skilled-trades-can-be-solved-by-boosting-trade-education-initiatives/) and the increasing interest among younger generations, particularly Gen Z, in pursuing careers that offer stability and fulfillment.

**Bass** shares her journey in the commercial, industrial HVAC sector, highlighting her efforts to attract younger generations through platforms like TikTok and her educational initiative, [jointhetrades.com](https://jointhetrades.com/home/). She emphasizes the importance of skilled trades and how they provide a rewarding career path and essential services that keep the modern world functioning.

> Skilled trades provide a rewarding career path and essential services that keep the modern world functioning.

Key Points from the Episode:

- The growing awareness and interest in skilled trades among young people and the re-evaluation of the traditional push towards college have led many opting for technical training and apprenticeship programs that lead directly to employment
- The generational shift in attitudes towards education and careers
- Inspiring success stories, such as a young entrepreneur who started a mobile car detailing business and transitioned into an HVAC apprenticeship, showcasing the entrepreneurial spirit and resourcefulness of today's youth
- Advocating for greater inclusion of women in skilled trades through initiatives like Women in HVAC and highlighting the analytical and problem-solving skills women bring to these professions
- The challenges of marketing skilled trades to younger generations and the need for employers to modernize their recruitment strategies to attract a diverse workforce
- Future directions for promoting skilled trades, including better educational programs, employer support for training, and more effective communication of the benefits of these careers

The conversation between **Crumpton** and **Bass** underscores the vital role of a skilled trades career in today's economy and the promising opportunities it offers. As awareness grows and more young people consider these career paths, the skilled trades sector stands poised for a renaissance, driven by a new generation eager to build and maintain the infrastructure of the future.

Tags: Commercial HVAC, Greg Crumpton, jointhetrades.com, Nicole Bass, skilled trades career, Straight Outta Crumpton

---
Source: MarketScale, https://www.marketscale.com/industries/engineering-and-construction/skilled-trades-career. Published for AI indexing and citation; cite the canonical URL. Site guide for agents: https://www.marketscale.com/llms.txt