Victor Velasco (26) Studied plumbing at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College (California).. This is an option that you are looking for an in-demand career. “AI won’t go under houses to lay pipes”said.
To understand this better, let’s start with an example. Velasco knows a case. A friend of his ended up at the Chipotle restaurant chain. He earned a humanities degree. He couldn’t find anything related to it and ended up there. Velasco loves working with his hands and challengesThat’s why he completed his plumbing studies.
Jobs and universities are also increasing
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center says it is registered in the spring of 2026 2.8% enrollment growth in public two-year schools with a strong focus on vocational training. Compared to spring 2025, that’s 24,000 more.
On the other hand, Enrollment in computer science and information science has declined. 8.4% decline in 4-year institutions. As well as within two years, with 11.2%.
But this does not mean that there are dropouts from the university. At 4-year public institutions, undergraduate enrollment increased by 1.5%. In total, US postsecondary education enrollment increased by 1% (18.6 million students).
This data shows that various things are happening in the system. The registration report doesn’t let us know how much it relates to AI. There is also no evidence that people who leave IT go into plumbing.
Work, training and physical effort
According to forecasts by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in this sector will grow by 7% between 2025 and 2035. It is the category of plumbers, pipe fitters and steam systems. Besides, On average, there are approximately 42,000 job openings per year (including those due to retirement or career change).
You have to learn the trade. The most common approach is an apprenticeship program (lasting four or five years). Combine paid work with technical training. Most states require you to have a license to become a plumber.
Even Meta is betting on training to build its advantages. On August 18, 2026, they explained that America’s Workforce Academy began its first year with an initial investment of $115 million. It includes four weeks of practical training and transport and accommodation costs. They assure that graduates will have a job with one of their partners.
Picture | Image GPT with editing
