FROM FOX NEWS: Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, is encouraging Gen Zers to reconsider the traditional college route and explore skilled trades or entrepreneurship, as recent graduates face a challenging job market.
Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York showed the labor market “deteriorated noticeably” in the first quarter of 2025, with recent workforce entrants taking the hardest hits.
In June, the unemployment rate for all college graduates was just 2.7%, but among those aged 22 to 27, it was 4.8%. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate, which refers to the percentage of college graduates employed in roles that generally do not require a degree, was 33.7% among college grads overall and 41.3% among recent graduates, according to the New York Fed
“We need to go back to the drawing board, and if we can avoid having an entire generation stuck with $80,000 to $150,000 worth of student loans, and they can still get good jobs, we should absolutely pursue those things,” Schilling told FOX Business. “I think the trades offer the best option for that.”
“With the rising cost of tuition, it’s $50,000 or $60,000 depending on the school now a year, it really is looking like it might not be that great of an investment,” Schilling said. “Especially if you’re not getting a higher-paying job, or you’re just as unemployed as someone that didn’t go to college.”
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