California teens are ditching office jobs — and making $100K before they turn 21

sfgate ^ | 08/22/2025 | Summer Maxwell

[DFG]

It’s noon on a Thursday, but the day’s lunch break is already over and the cement building in Concord is once again full. Class is in session. A dozen students — most dressed in gray canvas button-downs and baseball caps — sit with rapt attention facing the whiteboard at the front of the room. But the topic of today’s lesson isn’t biology, math or literature. It’s how to fabricate drawings for pipe fitting.

The students here are apprentices with United Association Local 342, a union that trains and represents workers in the pipe trades industries. They’ll complete a five-year paid apprenticeship to graduate as journeymen — and expect to earn a union wage of $80.50 an hour. Trainees cite a desire to work with their hands and the competitive pay as reasons for pursuing a career in the skilled trades. But young adults entering the workforce are facing a new challenge that is increasing the attractiveness of blue-collar jobs: the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

Data from the Federal Reserve shows that among recent college graduates, the unemployment rates for majors once heralded as tickets to high-salary, high-status jobs like computer engineering and computer science were 7.5% and 6.1%, respectively. In contrast, construction services majors’ unemployment rate was just 0.7%.

Experts say Silicon Valley’s AI models’ capabilities are encroaching on many entry-level white-collar jobs. The CEO of generative AI powerhouse Anthropic told Axios in May that AI could erase half of all entry-level white-collar jobs and drive unemployment to 10% to 20% in the next one to five years.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: education; jobs; labor; skills; trades

[cuban leaf]

Jobs are too often the road to mediocrity.

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I agree. I don’t remember who said it, but someone said JOB is an acronym that means, “Just Over Broke”.

[glorgau]

Learn to wrench.

[napscoordinator]

Better chance than the college kids. And better chance than Florida which doesn’t pay 80 bucks an hour.

[TheDon]

H1Bs are counter productive to fixing a lack of trained workers. The proper response is for industry to train Americans.

“They’ll complete a five-year paid apprenticeship to graduate as journeymen...”

H1Bs reduce wages and available positions. Thus reducing interest of American citizens in pursuing that work.

Strip mining needed talent from foreign countries is also bad for those countries.

[faithhopecharity]

SillyCon Valley area housing (per a study report within the last few weeks):
A person needs an income of $518,000 to qualify to purchase an average (3BR 60/70 year old is typical) used tract house.
Also needs about $450,000 cash available to close escrow.
And a good credit history.

[Vaduz]

Good move few if any deck jockeys makes $80.50 an hour.

Trade skills are always in need.

[PGR88]

These kids will come out of this program more responsible, financially secure, and useful to society than 90% of four year college grads

[minnesota_bound]

Construction Workers At The Doctor
Patient: “I’ll see you in another 30 years”
Doc: “No you won’t”
https://www.facebook.com/ohhyoubetcha/videos/construction-workers-at-the-doctor/515366438226893/

[Silentgypsy]

Thank you for posting some good news.

[MayflowerMadam]

And Rowe is careful to say the he himseld does have a college degree.

[9YearLurker]

If we hadn’t fetishized college as the mark of upward social mobility and validation, these skilled trade jobs wouldn’t pay quite as well.

And if indeed AI replaces a lot of professional-class entry-level work, we may go to something closer to apprenticeship pay structures for young professionals.