When a pipe bursts or the family car refuses to start, most people reach for their phone and call a plumber or a mechanic. For automotive technician Clint Crawford in Arkansas, that everyday reflex is a quiet reminder of who keeps daily life running and, increasingly, who will keep the clean energy transition on track.
Crawford, a 55-year-old technician at a Midas shop, did not insist that his two children follow a traditional university path. Instead, he spent years pointing out that when something breaks, “the first call that most people are going to make is to that blue-collar worker.” His message at the dinner table was simple: there are options.
Parents move away from the four-year default
Crawford is far from alone. A recent survey from American Student Assistance found that 35% of parents now believe career and technical education is best suited for their child, up from 13% in 2019. Parents still tend to prefer a four year college, but that preference has weakened as costs and job worries pile up.
Those costs are not abstract. Gen Z borrowers carry average student loan balances of about $22,948, according to analysis of federal and private loan data. For many families, that is a car, a rooftop solar array, or years of electricity bills. No wonder Crawford told his kids that, while it is fine to seek happiness at work, “the reason we work is to pay bills.”
At the same time, entry-level white-collar hiring has tightened in many sectors. Companies are trimming junior roles as automation and artificial intelligence take over routine tasks, while tariff disruptions and volatile trade policy make long-term planning harder for employers. For parents watching their children weigh degrees that may lead to unpredictable office jobs, the appeal of a trade with visible demand is stronger than it was a decade ago.
Where climate goals and trade schools intersect
Here is where the environmental story comes in. Around the world, renewable energy already supports about 13.7 million jobs, a number that has nearly doubled in a decade as solar, wind, and bioenergy expand. In the United States alone, solar energy accounted for more than 280,000 jobs in 2024, spread across all 50 states and all levels of education.
Many of those roles are, in practice, blue collar. Solar photovoltaic installers work on roofs and in fields. Wind technicians climb towers. Electricians wire panels, batteries, and charging stations. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of solar installers will grow by about 42% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for electricians is also expected to rise about 9% over the coming decade, while roughly 30% of union electricians approach retirement age.
On the road, the shift is already visible. Electric cars reached about 1.6 million sales in the United States in 2024, roughly 10% of new light duty vehicles. As more households weigh the quieter ride and lower fuel costs of an electric model, auto shops like the one where Crawford works will see more hybrids and battery powered cars roll into the bay.
Industry groups warn of a shortage of qualified technicians who can safely service high-voltage batteries and electric drivetrains. One recent estimate suggests the United States could be short about 35,000 electric vehicle technicians by 2028 if training does not keep up with sales. In other words, the clean transportation future that climate planners talk about will stall without enough skilled trade workers.
Aptitude, not prestige, as a climate strategy
Crawford urges parents to start real conversations early, before their teenagers lock into a single path. He encouraged his own children to take aptitude tests and be honest about what they are good at. If a student loves math, he argues, that does not mean they must become a mathematician. He points out that electricians are “incredibly math-oriented” and that many technical jobs use algebra and geometry every day in ways that feel concrete rather than abstract.
That logic applies directly to the green economy. Designing a rooftop solar layout, sizing battery storage for a grocery store, or balancing loads on an upgraded distribution line all rely on math-heavy but hands-on work. For a young person who prefers solving real world puzzles to sitting through lectures, those careers can be both stable and part of the climate solution.
Think about that sticky summer heat when air conditioners run nonstop and the grid strains to keep up. The people who keep buildings efficient, who install heat pumps and smart thermostats, and who maintain neighborhood transformers are not usually sitting behind desks. They are technicians, lineworkers, and HVAC specialists.
What families should keep in mind
For Crawford’s family, open discussion led both children to choose college. His son is studying data science because, as Crawford puts it, “it is something that he enjoys, and he is good at.” The point was never to steer them away from university at any cost. It was to show that a trade can have dignity, resilience, and, in a warming world, real climate impact.
At the end of the day, the green transition will be built in garages, on rooftops, and in noisy workshops as much as in boardrooms. Parents who talk honestly about debt, job security, and climate friendly work give their children a broader menu of options. For some, that will mean a four year degree. For others, it might mean a set of tools, a technical certificate, and a career that keeps both the lights on and emissions down.
The survey was published on American Student Assistance’s research site.
