Hacker News front pageJesse Smith11 min readintro
So You Think You Could Be an Electrician?
Summary
The article argues that the popular narrative that trades now out‑earn college graduates is misleading: college still offers a wage premium, while trades carry higher injury risk and steep entry barriers. It also cautions that AI is unlikely to make trades “AI‑proof” because automation tends to bypass manual dexterity rather than enhance it.
- College graduates still earn a lifetime wage premium of hundreds of thousands of dollars over non‑degree workers.
- Trades jobs have significantly higher rates of serious injury and death, especially in heights, electrical work, and arborist roles.
- High‑paying union trades require rigorous selection, certifications, and connections, limiting easy entry for most blue‑collar workers.
- Automation in construction historically replaces manual dexterity (e.g., pneumatic nailers), so AI may not create new trade jobs but could further reduce manual skill demand.
Engineers, career counselors, and policymakers should see the nuanced trade‑off between earnings, safety, and skill barriers before promoting trades as a universal alternative to college.
5/10
