The Toolbelt Generation: Rebuilding America’s Grey-Collar Pipeline

Although concerns about the growing presence of AI in the workforce persist, Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs, regards this development as a valuable opportunity for young individuals to pursue careers in skilled trades. Vocational fields such as plumbing, electrical work, and HVAC are experiencing increased engagement from Generation Z.

Rowe believes this trend is shaping the so-called “Toolbelt Generation,” which may provide more enduring job stability than white-collar positions that are susceptible to automation. The toolbelt generation consists of "grey collar" workers. Grey-collar roles are jobs that don't fit neatly into either blue-collar or white-collar categories; instead, they blend aspects of both. Grey-collar professions often demand specific hands-on training, licenses, and some formal education.

Newport News Shipbuilding plans to hire thousands of new grey-collar employees, and both Amazon and Dominion Energy aim to construct small nuclear plants to keep up with rising electricity needs. This demand could double in fifteen years, requiring even more skilled labor. Companies such as Lowe’s and construction firms are also focusing on recruiting veterans for reskilling and job opportunities for grey-collar positions.

While subsidies have increased college enrollment, career and technical pathways often deliver better returns. Years of underinvestment, however, have created shortages. As costs rise, more students are choosing technical education for its affordability and clearer job prospects. Education writer Dana Goldstein urges schools to offer multiple routes beyond a single college track, including trade schools, apprenticeships, two-year programs, and military service.

Mike Rowe says some Gen Z workers enter jobs with less resilience and accountability and may be quicker to sidestep difficult tasks. He argues that flexible deadlines, widely accepted excuses, and limited consequences can reduce urgency and slow learning. In his view, fewer young adults are pushed to do hard things, leaving them less prepared for routine workplace challenges.

Increasingly, Gen Z is choosing the trades over college to avoid rising tuition and debt, attracted by quicker hiring, higher wages, and steady careers in fields such as plumbing, electrical work, and construction.

Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) programs are associated with better attendance, higher graduation rates, and fewer discipline issues. They also strengthen character, leadership, and practical skills, and many cadets report greater perseverance and stronger goal-setting.

In 2020, JROTC refreshed its curriculum to better incorporate STEM. A 2023 RAND Corporation study found that participation is linked to higher attendance and graduation rates and fewer disciplinary incidents, helping more students enter in-demand fields. As enrollment grows, programs also tend to broaden participation and accelerate the use of new training tools such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).

Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) and its Virginia Peninsula Chapter support JROTC for its proven benefits to high school students. For many cadets, it provides a pathway to meaningful careers and eligibility for ROTC college scholarships. Recipients are chosen based on JROTC involvement, academic performance, and financial need, plus a brief statement on how the award supports their education or career goals.

By linking learning to real work, these programs boost employability and connect students with industry. They also support a skills-first economy where proven capability can matter as much as degrees. The VIPMOAA Newsletter highlights our commitment to service members, families, students, schools, employers, and the wider community—closing the skills gap and helping graduate career-ready citizens.

Glenn Marshall, President of the Virginia Peninsula Military Officers Association of America (VIPMOAA), a member of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME), the Reshoring Initiative, and a career pathways volunteer for Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) (retired). Email him at marsh8279@aol.com.

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