With AI driving Gen Z to blue-collar jobs, these sectors must ramp up safety, training

• Key insight: Learn why Gen Z is shifting to skilled trades amid AI fears, reshaping talent pipelines.
• What's at stake: Operational risk and compensation costs rise if onboarding doesn't address safety and retention.
• Supporting data: 42% of Gen Z prefer trades over corporate; 37% hold bachelor's degrees.

Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review

Concern about AI's takeover of white collar jobs has Gen Z gravitating toward "more secure" blue-collar and skilled trade options, according to recent research. Leaders in these areas should structure training around safety, proficiency and belonging to protect workers and their business while maximizing talent. 

Forty-two percent of Gen Z — 37% of whom have bachelor's degrees — opted to pursue jobs in industries such as building, transportation and manufacturing industries rather than a corporate setting, according to a survey from Resume Builder. Along with one in four citing AI-fueled insecurity, 30% believed these jobs offer more long-term prospects, 45% think they offer more flexibility and independence, and around one third prefer hands-on work (32%) or believe they can earn more in a trade role (27%). 

As more inexperienced workers make their way into these fields, they'll require ongoing training in safety practices and an atmosphere of trust to avoid injury and perform well, said Matt Zender, SVP, workers' compensation strategy at specialty insurer AmTrust Financial. 

"It's not that they're young, it's that they haven't been doing that job for a long time," he explained. "That leads to lack of familiarity with the hazards that are involved with the job, hesitation to ask questions because you're new and you don't want to ruffle feathers, overconfidence to prove themselves, and less experience recognizing near-miss situations."

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Modern training for young hires

Job safety is one of the most important training elements for newer workers. A study by the Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California found that employees with less than a year's experience are twice as likely to have a workers' compensation claim related to falls and equipment- or tool-related injuries than those with longer tenures. Both are extremely costly for employers: The average workman's comp payout for a fall or slip, for example, is $54,499, according to data from the National Council on Compensation Insurance. 

Zender pointed out that "younger workers disproportionately enter industry segments like retail, hospitality and gig work — things that often feature rapid onboarding, inconsistent supervision, understaffing, and variable schedules," all of which lead to higher exposure to accidents. 

"It becomes a bit of a cohort skew where younger workers enter industries that are more prone to injuries [related] to short tenure; it can be a vicious circle, and it's one that employers, if they're paying attention, can help mitigate," he said. "If we want to move this from a problem to a solution, we should look at [updating] our existing onboarding models."

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Zender recommends switching from traditional classroom settings and manuals to videos and mobile-accessible content that workers can reference from anywhere. He also emphasizes the benefits of real-time coaching and peer mentorship, which allow new hires to learn on the job and feel psychologically safe, making it more likely they'll ask questions or seek help when they need it. This process, he notes, can't be achieved overnight. 

"Employers shouldn't confuse [employee] orientation with integration; a safety culture is built over weeks and months," he said. "It's a continual process, and one that employees, especially younger employees, are going to be seeking out as they're growing in their career."

While constructing a new-hire training model, leaders should ensure that a manager training program is aligned to support it, Zender said. 

"The organizations that are going to outperform over the next decade are going to be the ones who think of workforce safety holistically, physically, emotionally and culturally," he said. "For a manager to know how to deliver against that, they're going to need to have skill sets that will either require some refinement or frankly some baseline training — things that maybe they hadn't prioritized when they were coming up in their career. Most people across generations would understand the value of a mentorship buddy program, for example, but some may not understand just how important that is to a younger worker who's trying to [decide] if this is a place they want to make a part of their future." 

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Improved retention

Along with improving the safety of employees, organizations that prioritize proper training, peer relationships, and a path for career growth also lead to better retention, Zender said. 

"Traditionally, employers have focused on benefits packages, perks and flexibility," he said. "Younger workers [also value] things like purpose and inclusion, knowing where their growth path exists, feedback, communication and supportive leadership. Employees who feel connected and supported are more likely to engage in safe work behaviors, so retention and safety can improve together."