When people think of the skilled trades, they may picture a traditional industry that mainly attracts workers drawn to hands-on labor, versus innovative technology or tools. Yet the reality is that while there will always be manual components to trade careers and traditional approaches are still going strong, digitalization has disrupted this industry and introduced new ways of thinking and doing. Moreover, the increased adoption of technology across the board has been enticing the next generation of workers to these occupations and checking the boxes of what they’re seeking in their careers. These digital natives are accustomed to leveraging technology across every facet of their personal lives for ease and efficiency, so it only makes sense that they expect to be able to do the same in their professional lives.

Amid this “rebrand” of the trades, employers are more enthusiastically touting the growing use of cutting-edge technology as one of the primary motivators to join these fields, along with other incentives like job stability and family-supporting incomes. This message will resonate even more strongly over time as more and more digital tools and trainings become engrained in everyday operations and workflows. 

Using Technology in the Field

To curb labor shortages and skills gaps, more young workers need to step in to fill empty roles as older workers retire in massive waves. To facilitate this, employers and educational institutions are likely to double down on their efforts to reach Gen Z workers and increase awareness, exposure, and fruitful pathways to careers in the trades. 

Along with spreading the message that careers in the trades are rewarding and lucrative, employers should also emphasize the many opportunities workers will have to use technology in their day-to-day roles — for example, referencing codes and standards via an easy-to-use digital library or using AI-powered solutions to mitigate hazards or boost efficiencies. In fact, almost half of the respondents to the National Fire Protection Association’s 2025 Industry Trends Survey plan to adopt more digital tools in 2025 than they did in 2024 to support the efficiency and safety of their day-to-day operations and help them mitigate challenges, such as a lack of effective communication on jobsites. This trend illustrates workers’ desire to perform their jobs in smarter, more connected ways, bringing parity to how technology is being used in workplaces and everyday life.

Learning Via Technology

In addition to highlighting how digital tools are being used in the field, trades employers should continue to draw attention to how they’re using technology to train new and existing talent — particularly since Gen Z prioritizes career development and advancement above all when taking a new job. For example, many employers now offer trainings in convenient digital formats for those who prefer to learn asynchronously and at their own pace. The more accessible trainings are for employees, the more valuable they will be, particularly to Gen Z workers who are accustomed to flexibility and accessing content across different devices at any time, from anywhere. While in-person, instructor-led training classes will always be well received by some, younger workers are apt to wonder if the session could have been held virtually or presented in on-demand videos, so employers need to be aware of these expectations in order to effectively teach the next generation.

Further, many trainings are now incorporating more digital experiences, implementing immersive models like gamification and virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) to make learning more engaging and interactive. These technologies allow participants to interact with different simulated environments, make decisions, and prove their competencies, preparing them for real-life scenarios they may face on the job. As more digital tools are integrated into trades processes, future trainings will reflect this by leaning into tech-centric content and delivery. 

Inheriting Wisdom Through Technology

Finally, technology will continue to make it less daunting for new or inexperienced workers to master their trades. While veteran workers have historically passed down their acquired knowledge and skills to newbies by word of mouth, digital tools are helping preserve this knowledge so it’s not lost as they age out of the workforce. Younger workers can now turn to collaborative digital hubs to find notes and tips documented by those in the role before them. Employers that adopt tools like digital codebooks and encourage veteran workers to leave tidbits of wisdom on these platforms will ensure knowledge can be easily shared across teams for years to come. 

The increasing integration of technology across all aspects of the trades will not only help the industry address pressing challenges like an aging workforce and widening skills gaps, but it will also go a long way toward improving the experience for new and existing workers. To appeal to “digital natives” like Gen Z workers, employers should continue fostering environments where they can work and collaborate with technology, enhance their skills with digital trainings, and work smarter, not harder. By leading with technology in the trades, new workers will come, and stay.