52% of office workers have considered switching to trades, report finds

More than half of office workers have considered leaving their desk jobs for skilled trade careers in search of more meaningful work, but concerns over lower pay are preventing many from making the switch.

According to HRD, citing findings from Kickresume's latest report, 52% of office employees have considered moving into a trade, with 18% saying they think about it regularly. 

Employees in engineering and manufacturing roles were the most likely to consider the shift (64%), followed by workers in business, management and consulting (59%), as well as marketing, advertising and public relations (59%).

Search for purpose outweighs financial motivations

The report found that the desire for more meaningful or rewarding work is the biggest driver behind the interest in trade careers, with 23% of respondents identifying it as their primary motivation.

Farming and agriculture emerged as the most attractive trade career, chosen by 31% of respondents, followed by construction and building trades (11%) and landscaping or horticulture (11%).

Burnout also appears to be fuelling career reassessments. Nearly nine in 10 office workers (87%) who are open to changing careers said stress or burnout had made them question their professional path, including 28% who began doubting office work within their first two years.

"The doubt isn't a mid-career crisis that builds over decades; it shows up fast and simply never fully goes away," the report read.

"The desire to leave, in other words, is widespread and largely emotional in origin – a response to how the desk job feels, before it's about anything a trade might offer."

Salary concerns stop workers from making the move

While purpose is motivating employees to consider trade careers, financial realities continue to hold them back.

Only 11% of respondents said they were considering a move into trades to earn more money. Instead, 43% identified the expected reduction in salary as the biggest obstacle preventing them from changing careers.

"Money doesn't pull people toward a trade. But it's the main thing keeping them from actually making the move," the report read.

"That's the real tension here. It's not that people are torn between meaning and money – they've already decided meaning wins. What holds them back is more practical: they can't afford the pay cut it would take to get there."

The report also found that if lost income during the transition was fully covered, 96% of office workers who are considering a move would switch to a trade career. More than half (54%) said they would do so immediately, while 42% said they would make the move after careful consideration.

"That's the finding that reframes everything. It's not that people are unsure about the trades – they just can't afford to give them a try," the report read.

"The real barrier isn't the career itself – it's getting there. It's the pay cut on the way in, the years of retraining, and the gap before the new career starts paying off."

Skills shortages create growing opportunities

The findings come as demand for skilled trades continues to rise globally. Forecasts suggest that around 2.1 million trade positions could remain unfilled by 2030, including an estimated shortage of 130,000 electrical workers and more than 350,000 automotive technicians by 2029.

The growing skills gap has prompted major employers to invest in workforce development. 

Google, Ford, BlackRock and Carhartt have launched a joint initiative to expand access to skilled trades training, while Meta has introduced a free workforce training programme aimed at supporting the growing demand for skilled workers as investment in AI infrastructure accelerates.