We live in an age where artificial intelligence and automation dominate the headlines. But beneath all the noise, a quiet and powerful shift is happening. More and more young people are turning away from traditional office careers and looking for purpose in hands-on professions.
Plumbers, electricians, mechanics, carpenters, technicians, construction workers, nurses—the list goes on. These roles are practical, impactful, and resilient to change. They can’t be easily automated. They require human judgment, real-time problem solving, and physical presence. In short, they create visible results and a sense of meaning—something that many white-collar jobs have lost.
Why many young people are walking away from “Bullshit Jobs”
Back in 2018, anthropologist David Graeber wrote about what he called “bullshit jobs”—roles that look important on paper but add little to society. Endless administration, reports that nobody reads, meetings that go nowhere.
Fast forward to today, and AI has made that critique sharper. When a bot can generate the same report in seconds, many office workers are left wondering: was my work ever meaningful in the first place?
Young people are noticing. They don’t want to spend their lives trapped in front of a screen, disconnected from real outcomes. Instead, they are moving towards professions where the impact is visible, the contribution tangible, and the value undeniable.
The rise of blue-collar careers
Recent studies confirm this shift. Across Europe and the US, interest in trades and technical careers is growing. Gen Z and Millennials are weighing student debt, job insecurity, and AI disruption, and they’re making different choices.
Unlike many office jobs, blue-collar work is AI-resistant. Machines can’t replace a nurse’s empathy, a carpenter’s craftsmanship, or a technician’s adaptability on site. These careers also offer something priceless: stability and purpose.
Even women, who for too long were excluded from trades, are increasingly entering these professions. This enriches industries and challenges outdated stereotypes.
Our Swiss secret: the apprenticeship edge
Here in Switzerland, we have a real gem that the world envies—our apprenticeship system. As a proud Swiss resident in Lausanne, I see every day how it sets us apart. Two-thirds of our young people choose this path, blending classroom theory with paid, hands-on experience right from the start.
Apprentices earn from 600–1,000 francs a month as they learn, with salaries climbing each year. They finish debt-free, skilled up, and ready to hit the ground running in jobs that AI can’t touch. Our impressively low youth unemployment rate? That’s no accident—it’s the Swiss way working its magic.
And let’s talk about those inspiring stories that prove it’s not just a start, but a springboard:
- Sergio Ermotti, CEO of UBS, kicked off as an apprentice at a small bank in Lugano.
- Ernst Tanner, the visionary behind Lindt & Sprüngli’s worldwide chocolate empire, began with an apprenticeship.
- Peter Voser, from apprentice to CEO of Shell and now Chairman of ABB right here at home.
- Lukas Gähwiler, who rose to CEO of UBS Switzerland—another apprentice success.
These aren’t rare tales; they’re woven into our fabric. In Switzerland, apprenticeships aren’t a backup plan—they’re our secret to building resilient, fulfilling careers.
Breaking stigma and closing gaps
Our experience, confirmed by the many clients we have supported, shows that culture is not a luxury but a strategic lever essential for success. By combining ethnographic depth with operational tools, Jobprofile enables companies to recruit and integrate truly aligned talent while cultivating environments where both individuals and teams can thrive.
If you want to move beyond traditional surveys and transactional recruitment—and truly understand what drives your organization’s performance—our approach is built for you. Together, we can explore the deep dynamics of your culture, reveal its hidden strengths, and turn those insights into concrete levers for sustainable performance.
Paying for what really matters
If we want this shift to continue, society must match its praise with pay. Let’s stop over-rewarding meaningless coordination jobs and instead value the people who build, repair, and care. Raising wages in vocational occupations, expanding apprenticeships, and celebrating diverse paths are critical steps.
My take as a career coach
After 27 years in recruitment and career coaching here in Lausanne, I’ve seen the difference between jobs that drain and jobs that empower. I coach professionals who feel trapped in endless office cycles, no longer sure why their work matters. And I coach young people who discover purpose and confidence through apprenticeships, knowing they’re building something real.
That’s why I say to Swiss parents and students: don’t chase prestige for prestige’s sake. Choose meaning. Choose growth. Choose paths where your work matters. Apprenticeships are not a fallback—they are a foundation.
Even though Jobprofile isn’t specifically known for blue-collar placements, we specialize in guiding the young generation to make informed, right choices for their futures. In a world flooded with YouTubers’ bullshit promises, social media influencers peddling dropshipping miracles, and that questionable saying that “you don’t need a degree to succeed,” it’s easy to get swept up in fantasies. But at Jobprofile, we ground you in the Swiss reality—the real cost of living, the challenges of sustaining a life without solid skills, and why you shouldn’t be fooled by the 0.000001% who somehow make those gimmicks work long-term. Most don’t, and we help you see through the hype to build a stable, meaningful career.
Conclusion
We help the next generation navigate these choices. Through our workshops and our one-to-one coaching programs, we give young people the tools to enter the workforce with confidence.
We don’t offer theory—we offer practical steps, personal guidance, and strategies that lead to real results. Our workshops cover everything from market insights to skill-building in a supportive group environment. And for deeper transformation, our Essential coaching program features 8 individual, personalized sessions that can turn out to be a game changer.
We uncover true strengths, map out a tailored path—whether it’s apprenticeship, university, or hybrid—and equip young talents with the know-how to navigate interviews, networking, and long-term growth. It’s designed to put them on track, helping them avoid pitfalls and seize opportunities in the professional world.
