Trades v College

No Plan A or Plan B, Just Another Path

Setting the Record Straight

Let’s get one thing out of the way: GSD Built is not anti-college. Far from it. I went to college myself and earned a bachelor’s degree in Business. It was a valuable path for me, and for many others it’s the right fit. College opens doors, equips people with knowledge, and creates opportunities.

But here’s the problem: somewhere along the way, college stopped being a pathway and became the pathway. It was marketed as the only “real” option if you wanted to be successful in life. And that’s where the imbalance started.

A Look Back: When Trades Were Respected

Fifty years ago, trades were elite. Being a welder, a lineman, a carpenter, or a mechanic was a source of pride. These careers weren’t second-tier, they were essential, respected, and often admired. Families boasted about a son becoming a journeyman or daughter joining the skilled trades just as much as they did about someone going to college.

Post-WWII, that began to shift. A new narrative took hold: college = success, trades = “couldn’t hack it.” The four-year degree became the gold standard, and over time it pushed vocational pathways into the shadows. Parents felt pressure to nudge kids toward universities, and students felt shame if they chose something different.

What That Did to Us

That mindset created a ripple effect:

• Fewer young people entered the trades. Enrollment in vocational programs dropped.

• Student debt skyrocketed. Today, Americans owe nearly $1.8 trillion in student loans.

• The respect gap widened. Society celebrated shiny job titles in offices while undervaluing the sweat equity that literally keeps the country running.

And now? We’re facing a critical shortfall of skilled tradespeople at the very moment when housing demand, infrastructure needs, and community growth are all accelerating.

Signs of Progress — But We Need More

We are seeing encouraging signs of progress. Many school districts are beginning to put renewed emphasis on their Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, which is a great start. These programs are helping students get early exposure to the trades and see the real opportunities that exist outside the traditional four-year path. But for the trades to truly recover their standing, CTE can’t just be a side option, it needs a revival of importance. The perception has to shift so that students see these programs not as a fallback, but as a viable, respected pathway for their future.

A Better Balance

The goal isn’t to turn back the clock or elevate the trades above college. The goal is balance. To show that college and trades are different paths of equal value.

For the young person who wants to pursue medicine, engineering, or law, college is essential. For the young person who wants to build homes, wire hospitals, or keep fleets running, the trades are just as essential. Both create legacy. Both deserve respect.

The GSD Built Mission

At GSD Built, we’re not here to pit one against the other. We’re here to:

• Restore pride and recognition in the trades.

• Provide pathways for the next generation to explore options outside of debt.

• Support tradespeople who want to grow into business owners and leaders.

• Partner with companies shaping the future of the workforce.

This isn’t about choosing sides. It’s about giving young people real choices and honoring the dignity of work, whether that work is in a boardroom, a classroom, or on a jobsite.

Closing Rally

College isn’t better. Trades aren’t better. They’re different. And both matter.

What we need to change is the perception, that one is the pinnacle of success and the other is the fallback. Because without balance, we fail the next generation, our industries, and our communities.

GSD Built exists to remind us that succe

ss isn’t one size fits all. It’s about finding your fit, whether that’s behind a desk or with calloused hands.