Gen Z are increasingly ditching corporate careers to take up traditional trades like welding, plumbing, and carpentry. But despite the appeal of working far from a desk, they should be warned that it might not actually make them happier than a nine-to-five office job.
That’s because the digital PR agency Bubblegum Search has analyzed over 2,000 Reddit comments, as well as wages and working hours, to rank the happiest (and unhappiest) workers in the U.K.—and topping the list as the least happy are electricians.
According to the study, the physically demanding nature of the job and 40-plus hour workweeks weren’t made up for by the “decent” £25,000 to £40,000 salary.
Construction workers, warehouse managers, and construction project managers also made the list of unhappiest jobs for having “unpredictable hours,” topped with their roles being stressful and taxing.
Perhaps surprisingly, not a single trade job made the list of happiest jobs.
Gen Z could be in for a rude awakening
The survey results could be a big wake-up call for Gen Z, who are increasingly shunning the corporate rat race and picking up the tools instead.
Enrollment in vocational-focused community colleges rose 16% last year to its highest level since the National Student Clearinghouse began tracking this data in 2018.
The same data shows a 23% surge in students studying construction trades in 2023 compared to the year before, and a 7% increase in HVAC and vehicle maintenance and repair programs.
What’s more, according to LinkedIn’s analysis of millions of member profiles and job postings, utilities, oil, gas and mining, and construction are all among the top five fastest-growing industries right now for graduates.
Why the shift? A handful of Gen Zers told Fortune they went down the traditional trades route because it’s a path to solid earnings, the freedom of being your own boss, and the ability to work remotely (or at least not chained to a desk).
However, as Bubblegum Search research highlights, those freedoms come at a cost: long hours and manual work.
The top 10 unhappiest jobs, as per the study
1. Electrician
2. Psychiatric aide
3. Social worker
4. Construction worker
5. Warehouse manager
6. Night cleaner
7. Video game quality tester
8. Hospital security
9. Surgical coordinator
10. Construction project manager
The top 10 happiest jobs
1. Car designer
2. Animator
3. Game developer
4. IT support specialist
5. Cybersecurity specialist
6. Dog photographer
7. Developmental biologist
8. Occupational therapist
9. UX designer
10. System administrator
Trade workers: Fortune wants to hear from you. What does Gen Z need to know about the realities of the job? Email orianna.royle@fortune.com
