One of the smartest decisions I ever made was to skip college and take blue-collar jobs and launch trade businesses, according to Meet the Gen Zers.

A four-year college degree, once viewed as a ticket to a prosperous job, has become increasingly expensive, causing Gen Z to question its worth.

Blue-collar careers are increasingly popular among 20-somethings who are questioning the value of a college education.

As older workers retire, a shortage of skilled tradespeople is leading to opportunities for young adults in fields such as welding and manufacturing, helping to shed the image of blue-collar jobs as dirty and menial work.

According to Gusto data exclusively shared with CNBC Make It, there is a gradual increase in the number of young workers aged 18 to 25 joining skilled trade professions such as electricians, plumbers, and mechanics.

These jobs, with their promise of security and consistent income growth, are particularly appealing to Gen Zers, who are entering the workforce during a time of increased job market competition.

Skilled trades are providing many Gen Zers with fulfillment, stability, and financial security.

Buying her first home at 24

At age 16, Crist Morillon enrolled in an auto shop class at her Phoenix, Arizona high school as a fun elective, unaware that it would eventually lead to a career that would enable her to purchase her first home and attain financial freedom a decade later.

Morillon, 27, says she "immediately developed a passion" for working under the hood of different cars and the challenge of solving a new problem every day.

After completing high school, Morillon opted to forgo college and instead embarked on a full-time career as an automotive technician.

"She knew she didn't want to spend another four years sitting behind a desk learning, and instead wanted to work with cars, which didn't require a bachelor's degree."

She completed a one-year vocational school program at the Universal Technical Institute in Avondale, Arizona, and earned an associate occupational studies degree in automotive technologies.

Morillon learned how to diagnose car problems, put together and take apart engines, and fix brake systems through the $33,000 associate's degree program.

Morillon received a $15,000 scholarship to attend the program and spent $18,000 to become a certified technician, which is significantly less than the average cost of obtaining a bachelor's degree in the U.S.

In 2017, she graduated and was immediately hired as a service assistant at Tesla, which recruited students on campus. After a year, she was promoted to service technician.

Morillon worked at Tesla for four years before joining Lucid Motors as a service technician in 2021. She currently earns approximately $78,000 per year.

According to ZipRecruiter data, the average automotive technician earns about $57,000 a year, but more experienced professionals can earn upwards of $100,000. Morillon aims to reach this income bracket by the time she turns 30.

She was able to achieve financial milestones earlier than her peers due to her work in a skilled trade, which allowed her to purchase her first car and home at the age of 24.

Young adults are increasingly unable to achieve the American dream of homeownership due to high housing costs and mortgage rates.

Morillon claims that she wouldn't have been able to accomplish her goals if she had gone to college and pursued a white-collar career.

"Instead of still living at my parents' house and paying off student loans, I am now financially supporting myself, my parents, and my younger sister when they need it."

Job security and stability for a lifetime are what make this career so valuable.

Running a business bringing in $1 million in revenue at 23

Some Gen Z entrepreneurs are finding success in launching trade businesses.

Last year, CMG Landscaping in Uwchlan Township, Pennsylvania, founded by 23-year-old Chase Gallagher, surpassed $1 million in annual revenue.

At the age of 12, he began mowing his neighbors' lawns for $35 each, which eventually grew into a lucrative after-school side hustle, earning him over $50,000 annually within four years.

As Gallagher neared high school graduation, the return on investment of a college degree appeared to be diminishing.

Gallagher, a resident of the suburbs of Philadelphia, states that he would have had to pay for his education and lose four revenue-generating years if he had spent money on it. He believes that there is no benefit in spending money if it can be used to build up a business and wealth instead.

He states: "One of the wisest choices I have made is not attending college and utilizing that time to focus on developing my business."

In 2018, Gallagher employed his first staff and leased a commercial property near his parents' home for $300 per month to house his equipment and trucks.

When he was 19, he left his parents' house and bought his first house with the earnings he earned from CMG Landscaping after renting an apartment for a year.

Gallagher's landscaping business has nine employees and offers a range of services, including stormwater management, drainage work, pavers, and lighting. After accounting for business expenses and taxes, Gallagher's annual take-home pay is approximately $250,000.

The U.S. construction industry is facing a shortage of skilled workers, including carpenters and landscapers, creating opportunities for young, ambitious individuals to quickly advance their careers and increase their earning potential.

A landscaping business can have low start-up costs, as it doesn't require a physical storefront and equipment can be rented. Gallagher mentions that his first purchases for the business were a $2,400 lawn mower and a $700 utility trailer.

Gallagher believes that he would not have achieved the same level of financial security if he had attended college at 18, as some of his friends who spent $200,000 on their education are now earning less than $50,000.

"If that had happened to me, my head would have been spinning," he says.

The operation of a trade business presents its own set of difficulties. Gallagher frequently works over 80 hours per week, often reaching up to 100 hours during CMG Landscaping's peak season from March to July.

"According to Gallagher, achieving work-life balance is impossible when scaling a trade business. However, he has managed to prevent burnout by hiring the right team and learning how to delegate tasks."

Saving $400,000 for retirement by 22

Ryan Daniels started working when he was 16 years old.

Before turning 30, he aims to achieve "semi-retirement" through the skilled trade he learned as a teenager.

Daniels, a 22-year-old from Wellington, Florida, recognized the challenges faced by his parents and friends in preparing and cleaning their hurricane shutters. This prompted him to identify a business opportunity.

He purchased a second-hand pressure washer on Facebook Marketplace for $200 and enlisted one of his friends to drive around their community with him, charging $100 per hour to remove or clean debris from hurricane shutters.

Daniels' "fun summer job" has evolved into a successful business, RHI Pressure Washing, which he founded and owns.

According to financial documents reviewed by CNBC Make It, RHI Pressure Washing generated approximately $250,000 in revenue in 2023. Daniels' take-home pay was $79,000.

Daniel opened a Roth IRA and two brokerage accounts with the help of his parents in high school, and divided most of his earnings among the three.

Daniels has been saving for retirement since he was 17 and currently has about $400,000 saved.

Daniels didn't intend to build a career in the skilled trades.

After attending the University of Florida for a year, he dropped out.

"He never felt passionate about attending college, just felt like he was going through the motions of what the adults in his life expected of him. However, once he got there, he realized that he didn't want to spend four years doing something that he wasn't fully committed to or believed in."

He quit college to focus on expanding RHI Pressure Washing from a part-time venture to a full-time enterprise, hiring three workers and offering new services such as roof and gutter cleaning.

Daniels currently works 35 hours a week and plans to gradually reduce his hours in the future, eventually working part-time until he feels ready for full retirement.

According to Daniels, learning a trade can lead to high-paying, in-demand careers, providing financial stability and job security, allowing you to retire early.

Daniels notes that while some corporate jobs allow for early retirement, blue-collar careers provide more predictable hours, a less competitive environment, and the satisfaction of manual labor.

"Daniels prefers the physical exhaustion of manual labor over the mental toll of working long hours on a computer. He believes that people can be happy and successful in either path, and attending college and getting a job from there isn't the right choice for everyone."

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