Trade school enrollment grew as Gen-Z turned to skilled trades, with new legislation from the Trump administration allowing Pell grants to fund shorter workforce training programs.

Trade jobs have been rebranded as a shortcut to six-figure salaries, without student debt, and immunity from automation. But Gen Z could be walking into a trap.

Some high school students are skipping college and learning trades, then graduating with $70,000-a-year job offers. Marcos Tigreros is still weeks away from graduating high school, but the 18-year ...