A growing number of young people in the UK are trading ambition for a university degree in favour of apprenticeships and vocational training in skilled trades - a shift driven by worries that artificial-intelligence tools will undermine the viability of many white-collar careers.

At London's City of Westminster College, enrolments in plumbing, electrical work, construction, carpentry and similar hands-on courses are climbing sharply. Among those heading to the tools-bench rather than the lecture hall is 18-year-old Maryna Yaroshenko, who says:“That's something AI won't take over... No AI can do plumbing, no AI can do real engineering, no AI can be an electrician.” Such a sentiment appears widespread across the younger demographic.

This altering of aspirations comes amid growing evidence that many traditional white-collar roles are exposed to AI-driven disruption. The National Foundation for Educational Research published projections warning that as many as three million low-skilled jobs could vanish nationwide by 2035, especially in fields like manufacturing, administrative support and manual labour. Yet those findings complicate the narrative: while some low-skilled roles are at risk, occupations that rely on routine cognitive tasks - such as clerical, accounting, legal and managerial roles - are also flagged as highly vulnerable to automation.

That dual risk appears to be prompting younger workers to bet on what is widely perceived as“future-proof”: skilled manual and technical trades. Institutions such as CWC and the Capital City College Group say they are seeing unprecedented interest in trades training over traditional degree paths. Their appeal lies in tangible skills, stable demand, the opportunity for self-employment, and escape from mounting concerns around debt and job obsolescence.

Support for this shift also finds resonance in recent academic research. A 2025 review of global trends in AI-driven labour displacement underscores widespread job losses across sectors including education, creative arts, and gig economy roles - while pointing out that manual trades and public-facing services remain comparatively resistant.

Labour-market experts caution, however, that the long-term outlook remains unclear. The NFER report notes that while AI and automation may phase out many roles, they could also spur growth in skilled and specialist jobs - but gains are likely to be uneven. Meanwhile a new metric called the Generative AI Susceptibility Index shows that nearly all UK jobs are exposed to some degree of disruption, yet only a minority are heavily exposed. That suggests wide variation in which roles will flourish, and which will fade.

For many students and young workers, opting for skilled trades seems less about idealism and more about pragmatism. The belief that manual jobs cannot be superseded by algorithms appears to align with real shifts in employment data and academic forecasts - a convergence that may reshape the UK workforce over the next decade.

Notice an issue? Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.

MENAFN05122025000152002308ID1110444659