https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/skilled-trades-high-school-recruitment-fd9f8257 Skip to Main Content Explore Our Brands * WSJ * ----------------------------------------------------------------- * Barron's * ----------------------------------------------------------------- * MarketWatch * ----------------------------------------------------------------- * IBD * ----------------------------------------------------------------- * * ----------------------------------------------------------------- Buy Side from WSJ WSJ Logo The High-School Juniors With $70,000-a-Year Job Offers Share Resize --------------------------------------------------------------------- Listen (2 min) The Wall Street Journal SectionsMy Account * + Home + Latest + World + Business + U.S. + Politics + Economy + Tech + Markets & Finance + Opinion + Arts + Lifestyle + Real Estate + Personal Finance + Taxes + Health + Style + Sports + Print Edition + Video + Audio + Latest Headlines * More + Buy Side from WSJ + The Journal Collection + WSJ Shop + WSJ Wine * Latest * World + Main + Africa + Americas + Asia + China + Europe + Middle East + India + Oceania + Russia + U.K. + Science + Anthropology + Biology + Environment + Physics + Space & Astronomy + World Video + Obituaries * Business + Main + Airlines + Autos + C-Suite + Deals + Earnings + Energy & Oil + Entrepreneurship + Telecom + Retail + Hospitality + Logistics + Media + CFO Journal + CIO Journal + CMO Today + Logistics Report + Risk & Compliance + WSJ Pro Bankruptcy + WSJ Pro Central Banking + WSJ Pro Cybersecurity + WSJ Pro Private Equity + WSJ Pro Sustainable Business + WSJ Pro Venture Capital + Heard on the Street + Journal Reports + Business Video + Business Podcast * U.S. + Main + Climate & Environment + Education + Law + College Rankings 2025 + U.S. Video + What's News Podcast * Politics + Main + Elections + National Security + Policy + Politics Video * Economy + Main + Central Banking + Consumers + Housing + Jobs + Trade + Global + WSJ Pro Bankruptcy + WSJ Pro Central Banking + WSJ Pro Private Equity + WSJ Pro Venture Capital + Capital Account + Economic Forecasting Survey + Economy Video * Tech + Main + AI + Biotech + Cybersecurity + Personal Technology + Keywords by Christopher Mims + Personal Tech by Joanna Stern + Family & Tech by Julie Jargon + Personal Tech by Nicole Nguyen + CIO Journal + The Future of Everything + Tech Video + Tech Podcast * Markets & Finance + Main + Banking + Commodities & Futures + Currencies + Investing + Regulation + Stocks + Heard on the Street + Capital Account by Greg Ip + The Intelligent Investor by Jason Zweig + Tax Report by Laura Saunders + Streetwise by James Mackintosh + CFO Journal + Markets Video + Your Money Briefing Podcast + Market Data Home + Companies + U.S. Stocks + Commodities + Bonds & Rates + Currencies Market Data + Mutual Funds & ETFs + Investment Banking Scorecard * Opinion + Main + Gerard Baker + Sadanand Dhume + Allysia Finley + James Freeman + William A. 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Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/ skilled-trades-high-school-recruitment-fd9f8257 1. THE FUTURE OF EVERYTHING | WORK The High-School Juniors With $70,000-a-Year Job Offers Companies with shortages of skilled workers look to shop class to recruit future hires; 'like I'm an athlete getting all this attention from all these pro teams' Share Resize --------------------------------------------------------------------- Listen (2 min) Welding instructor Joe Williams, left, teaches students at Father Judge High School in Philadelphia.Welding instructor Joe Williams, left, teaches students at Father Judge High School in Philadelphia. By Te-Ping Chen | Photographs and video by Hannah Yoon for WSJ PHILADELPHIA--Elijah Rios won't graduate from high school until next year, but he already has a job offer--one that pays $68,000 a year. Rios, 17 years old, is a junior taking welding classes at Father Judge, a Catholic high school in Philadelphia that works closely with companies looking for workers in the skilled trades. Employers are dealing with a shortage of such workers as baby boomers retire. They have increasingly begun courting high-school students like Rios--a hiring strategy they say is likely to become even more crucial in the coming years. Copyright (c)2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8