Survey finds strong demand for skilled trades education expansion by voters, high schoolers, and parents

A new national survey commissioned by Harbor Freight Tools for Schools has found strong demand for the expansion of skilled trades education in U.S. public high schools.

More than 6,000 U.S. voters, parents, and public high school students were surveyed, showing strong bipartisan support for growing career-focused options in high school curricula. 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 Dec. 9, 2025 and Jan. 21, 2026.

Nearly 4 in 5 voter respondents said it’s a major problem that public high schools have reduced or eliminated trades classes. Ninety-five percent of voter respondents said they 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.

Voter respondents ranked skilled trades as the top elective funding priority for high schools ahead of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (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,” a Harbor Freight Tools for Schools press release states. “Roughly one-third of students who want to take a trades class have been unable to do so.”

Among parents surveyed, 49% said they are extremely or very concerned that AI will reduce job opportunities for their child, and 8 in 10 said having more opportunities to study the skilled trades in high school would better prepare their child for a career.

Eric Smidt, owner and founder of Harbor Freight Tools, said in the release: “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?’”

Erin Walsh, consulting policy and research director for Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, added, “This research shows an overwhelming majority of voters, parents, and students want skilled trades education widely available in our public high schools. It’s particularly meaningful to see the positive impact skilled trades offerings have had on students fortunate enough to experience these classes.”

According to the survey results, students who take skilled trades classes report several benefits, including stronger connections to school and greater confidence about their future, the release states.

“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 have developed the skills and knowledge they need for college,” the release states. “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 that 69% of voter respondents believe it’s important for the government to provide funding for career training in fields less likely impacted by AI.

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, according to the release.

“It’s inspiring to see how transformative the experience can be for students,” said Danny Corwin, executive director of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, in the release. “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.”

Images

Featured image: A student participates in the L.A. County Skilled Trades Summers in 2025. (Provided by Harbor Freight Tools for Schools)

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