To raise awareness for the abundance and evolution of trade careers, skilled trade associations, and building trade unions, including SMACNA, SMART, and ITI have come together to launch the first National Careers In Trades Week. 

SMACNA is dedicated to educating people about the benefits of employment in the essential skilled trades and showcasing the value of the people and fields that build the world in which we live, work, and play. Trade careers are abundant, in demand, and projected to stay that way.

SMACNA partnered with Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART), and International Training Institute (ITI) to host the Second Annual National Careers in Trades Week (April 6-10, 2026). This effort is aimed at bringing awareness to the benefits of choosing careers in skilled trades.

LEARN MORE ABOUT NATIONAL CAREERS IN TRADES WEEK

Why Careers in Trades?

With dozens of skilled trades to choose from and employment opportunities increasing faster than the average for all occupations, young workers are increasingly turning to the skilled trades as an alternative to college. GenZ has been called the "toolbelt generation" due to their growing interest in joining the trades. It's understandable considering the trades pay well, eliminate college debt, and meaningfully contribute to society. According to a recent survey that was published in Higher Ed Dive, about 9 in 10 Gen Z graduates said learning a skilled trade can be a better route to economic security than college (Thumbtack survey).

It's worth it. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), professions in the skilled trades will experience faster-than-average job growth between 2024 and 2034, with the Occupational Outlook predicting over 600,000 construction job openings each year and a current median annual wage of $58,000 (up from $55,000 in 2025), remaining higher than the median for all occupations. They also do not result in debt that can accompany a college path. And according to Construction Labor Research Council, nationwide, workers are averaging pay hikes above 4%, as employers look to attract and retain workers in a tight labor market.

The work is rewarding, too. Tradespeople are responsible for constructing, maintaining, and repairing homes, schools, hospitals, buildings, roads and other vital structures we use every day. The skilled trade professions work together to construct the buildings that are essential to fueling the economy, including chip factories, data centers, state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, and nuclear power plants.

April 6-10, 2026

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