“This is the new model, where you work in these plants for the rest of your life, and your kids work here, and your grandkids work here.”
“You gotta remember these plants, all these automated arms and stuff, they need to be fixed. They all need a technician to fix them,” he said. “This is tradecraft, this is high school-educated, great jobs.”
Robots are already starting to work side-by-side with humans on factory floors—and it’s causing panic amongst workers that the tech will eventually steal their jobs. But Lutnick snubbed that notion, arguing people will always be needed to repair the robots.
In fact, he advertises technician work as incredibly accessible and lucrative to U.S. citizens with just a high school diploma. Lutnick also pointed to local-led efforts to get community college students into the industry, using Arizona as an example of a state ramping up their efforts.
“You go to the community colleges, and you train people,” he said. “All these community colleges [in Arizona] are training people right now, technicians, and these are really good-paying jobs.”
The American businessman said technician jobs can pay anywhere from $70,000 to $90,000 from the jump—a promising gig with a low barrier to entry. Vocational schooling or apprenticeships are a nice touch on resumes, but only a high school diploma is required for most entry-level technician jobs. But it’s still not the dream for Gen Z turning to trade work.
