AI-Driven Layoffs Push UK Students Toward the Trades

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Artificial intelligence’s integration into workplaces across global labour markets is triggering a surprising shift in the UK, as more young people are walking away from traditional white-collar paths and toward skilled trades.

Fears of AI-driven job losses are increasingly turning people to this unexpected countertrend. According to a recent Reuters report, many students who once aimed for white-collar careers are now opting for manual professions they believe AI cannot easily replace.

The report captured the trend through the story of Maryna Yaroshenko, an 18-year-old plumbing student in London who chose a hands-on career she believes AI won’t touch anytime soon. “No AI can do plumbing,” she told Reuters. This belief reflects a ...