Blue-Collar Work Has Plateaued, Narrowing Options for Young Workers

The parts of the blue-collar labor market occupied primarily by men have been slowing for over a year. Jobs in sectors that include the trades, such as manufacturing and construction, have racked up roughly 150,000 net losses on an annual basis as of March, based on calculations by Joey Politano, an economic analyst. In contrast, health care and social assistance jobs, professions that women typically dominate, generated the most job growth in 2025.

By Talmon Joseph Smith