New Research Reveals 70% of Youth Want Trades, Urgent Call to Action

UPDATE: New research from Chadwick’s reveals a striking 70% of young adults in Ireland express a desire to learn a trade, yet nearly 50% have not had the opportunity to do so in school. This urgent call for change emphasizes the need to promote apprenticeships as viable career paths.

Shauna Doyle, a former beautician turned tarmac contractor, is leading an initiative to challenge perceptions surrounding trades. In her appearance on the Pat Kenny Show, she shared her personal journey, stating, “I did always want to be a beautician, but when I was in school, we were never given the option to do things like the trades.”

Despite growing up in a family business and gaining early exposure to the construction field, Doyle noted that societal expectations made her believe trades were not an option for women. After returning to Ireland from the UK following her son’s birth, she sought to become more involved in her family’s tarmacking business.

“I had kind of intended that it would be more so in the office,” she explained. “But then once I actually started working with the lads, the agreement was that I had to start at the bottom and work my way up.” Over the past eight years, she has dedicated herself to understanding the work from the ground up.

Doyle argues that parents and educators must actively encourage students to consider trades as a primary career choice, rather than an alternative. “Even the fact that four out of five tradespeople have worked on something else first, I hate to hear that it’s kind of like a second option,” she emphasized. “It shouldn’t always be a second option and that it should be encouraged more.”

These findings come at a critical time when the demand for skilled tradespeople is surging across Ireland and beyond. The message is clear: to meet industry needs and empower the younger generation, it’s essential to normalize conversations about trades in educational settings.

As discussions gain momentum, the focus is now on how parents, teachers, and industry leaders can collaborate to reshape perceptions of vocational training. The urgency for action is palpable, and the stakes couldn’t be higher for the future workforce.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story as advocates work to promote the importance of trades in education and career planning.