As artificial intelligence raises new questions about the future of work, a new national survey finds strong demand for the expansion of skilled trades education in U.S. public high schools, giving students earlier access to hands-on learning that can lead to meaningful careers in fields such as construction, welding, electrical, automotive technology, manufacturing, and other essential trades.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260527235734/en/
Sparks fly as a student participates in the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools L.A. County Skilled Trades Summers program.
The survey of more than 6,000 U.S. voters, parents, and public high school students shows strong bipartisan support for growing career-focused options as part of high school curriculum.
Nearly four in five voters say it’s a major problem that public high schools have reduced or eliminated trades classes, underscoring the urgency of expanding opportunities. Ninety-five percent of voters believe more opportunities to study skilled trades in high school would better prepare students for careers, while 84% support increased government funding for skilled trades education.
Conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago and commissioned by Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, the flagship program of The Smidt Foundation, the research shows a large majority of Americans want high schools to offer more pathways into skilled trades careers.
Key findings:
- A total of 84% of voters support increasing funding for skilled trades education, including strong majorities across party lines: Democrats (74%), Independents (65%), and Republicans (65%) all say they are more likely to support candidates who back increased funding.
- Voters rank skilled trades as the top elective funding priority for high schools – ahead of STEM, business, healthcare, arts, and physical education.
- Thirty percent of high school students report having taken a skilled trades class, and of those, 40% have taken more than one. Yet, access remains limited — roughly one-third of students who want to take a trades class have been unable to do so.
- Among parents, 49% surveyed are extremely or very concerned that AI will reduce job opportunities for their child – and eight in 10 say having more opportunities to study the skilled trades in high school would make their child more prepared for a career.
“Folks are raising a simple question too often left out of the national conversation about the skills gap and career readiness: ‘Why can’t our public high schools prepare students for in-demand, good-paying careers?’” said Eric Smidt, owner and founder of Harbor Freight Tools and president and board member of The Smidt Foundation.
The new survey makes clear that students, parents, and voters want that opportunity for high school students, especially as AI raises new questions about the future of work.
“This research shows an overwhelming majority of voters, parents and students want skilled trades education widely available in our public high schools,” said Erin Walsh, Consulting Policy and Research Director for Harbor Freight Tools for Schools. “It’s particularly meaningful to see the positive impact skilled trades offerings have had on students fortunate enough to experience these classes.”
Stronger Connections and Greater Confidence
According to the survey, students who take skilled trades classes report several benefits, including stronger connections to school and greater confidence about their future. Compared with students who have never taken a trades class, they are more likely to say they enjoy school, believe they are receiving a high-quality education, and developed the skills and knowledge they need for college.
The difference is especially striking on a question many students ask every day: Does school feel useful for life after graduation? Fifty-nine percent of students who have taken a skilled trades class say what they learn in school is “useful for life after high school,” compared with 38% of students who have not.
The survey also found a large majority of voters (69%) agree it is important for the government to provide funding for career training in fields that are less likely to be impacted by AI.
As demand grows for skilled workers and experienced trades professionals retire faster than they can be replaced, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools is working to strengthen the pipeline between high school and skilled trades careers.
In Los Angeles County, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools launched the L.A. County Skilled Trades Summers program in 2021. Each summer, hundreds of high school students receive hands-on training, a wage, and valuable industry credentials that open doors to skilled trades careers.
“It’s inspiring to see how transformative the experience can be for students,” said Danny Corwin, Executive Director of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools. “The impact of L.A. County Skilled Trades Summers, combined with the findings of this national research, underscores how important it is to bring skilled trades education back into the center of the high school experience – not as an alternative to academic achievement, but as a rigorous, relevant pathway that helps students build real-world skills, explore careers, and prepare for college, apprenticeships, and work.”
Harbor Freight Tools for Schools also invests in excellent high school skilled trades programs and teachers through the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, an annual national award that has directed more than $10 million to 183 outstanding teachers and their programs since 2017.
NORC surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. voters, more than 2,000 parents of U.S. public high school students, and more than 1,700 U.S. public high school students between December 9, 2025 and January 21, 2026.
About Harbor Freight Tools for Schools
Harbor Freight Tools for Schools is a program of The Smidt Foundation, established by Harbor Freight Tools owner and founder Eric Smidt, to advance excellent skilled trades education in U.S. public high schools. With a deep respect for the dignity of these fields and for the intelligence and creativity of people who work with their hands, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools aims to drive a greater understanding of and investment in skilled trades education, believing that access to quality skilled trades education gives high school students pathways to graduation, opportunity, good jobs, and a workforce our country needs. Harbor Freight Tools is a major supporter of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools program. For more information, visit: https://hftforschools.org/.
HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS, THE SMIDT FOUNDATION, and HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS PRIZE FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE are registered trademarks owned or licensed by The Smidt Foundation.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260527235734/en/
Media gallery
