By Julian Scadden

As another graduation season winds down, a new generation of young people is asking life’s big question: What’s next?

Some are stepping off high school stages. Others are exiting four-year universities with degrees in hand — and often, with tens of thousands of dollars in student debt. Across the board, they’re entering a job market shaped by uncertainty: rising living costs, a shifting economy, and questions about whether the paths they were told to follow still make sense.

Here’s a bold idea for those wondering where to go next: Look to the trades.

I work every day with plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical businesses across the country — companies that don’t just keep our homes running but keep our communities safe, comfortable, and efficient. And while the headlines often focus on labor shortages, project delays, and an aging workforce — all very real concerns — I see something more powerful: progress.

The truth is, the trades aren’t just facing a workforce challenge. They’re solving it.

There are hundreds of forward-looking, family-owned operations in our region that are building trade academies, launching apprenticeship programs, and partnering with professional schools and workforce centers to train the next generation of skilled workers — often from scratch, and often with impressive results.

And here’s the kicker: the opportunity is already here. Entry-level technicians in plumbing, HVAC, and electrical fields typically start between $53,900 and $60,600 a year — well above the average starting salary for Bachelor of Arts graduates, which often hovers in the $30,000—$40,000 range. For many young people, these jobs provide not only immediate income but long-term security, a clear career path, and freedom from student-loan debt.

Skilled trades careers are hands-on, high-impact and future-proof. You can’t outsource a furnace repair in January. You can’t automate a flooded basement cleanup. These jobs are essential, resilient and deeply rooted in service. That’s why they’ve become so attractive not only to high school graduates, but also to veterans, career changers, and college grads seeking more purposeful work.

The shift is overdue. For too long, we’ve treated the trades as a fallback rather than a first-choice career. That perception is finally changing. Today’s home services companies use AI to schedule jobs, streamline diagnostics and enhance customer service. They combine real-world problem-solving with cutting-edge technology, and they’re doing it in shops that feel more like tech startups than old-school garages.

We’re seeing more veterans find their footing — and thrive — in the trades, bringing with them leadership, discipline and a mission-driven mindset. Many go on to launch their own companies, creating jobs and economic opportunity in their communities.

This is workforce development in action. Quietly, consistently, family-owned companies in the trades are building one of the most effective and inclusive training pipelines in the country. They’re not waiting for someone else to solve the problem — they’re doing it themselves, and doing it well.

If you’re a young person trying to figure out your future, or a parent looking to guide your child into a secure and fulfilling path, don’t overlook the trades. If you’re a policymaker or educator, invest in the businesses that are already growing talent locally. And if you’re just someone who believes in American ingenuity, take pride in what these companies are accomplishing — one apprentice, one hire, one training cohort at a time.

The future of the trades isn’t a question mark. It’s a foundation — and one that’s already being built.

Julian Scadden is president and CEO of Nexstar Network, a 33-year-old, member-owned organization headquartered in Bloomington serving more than 700 independent plumbing, HVAC, and electrical home services companies since 1992. Nexstar is on a mission to help the world’s best tradespeople become the world’s best businesspeople.