LAS VEGAS — National Technical Institute (NTI), a trade school with campuses in Las Vegas, Nevada, Phoenix, Arizona, and Houston, Texas, has expanded its Phoenix campus due to increased demand.

The school, which offers fast-track training in HVAC, commercial refrigeration, plumbing, and electrical career paths, has grown to include a 10,000 square-foot nearby building, which will allow NTI to accommodate more students and enhance its training facilities, an NTI press release said.

The new building will house all plumbing and electrical classrooms and laboratories, while the existing building will expand its HVAC and commercial refrigeration lab space. Classes in the new building are slated to begin at the end of September.

“The rise of AI (artificial intelligence) and soaring college costs have created a complex landscape for Gen Z as they plan their futures. This has led to a renewed interest in trade careers, which are often seen as more resilient to AI disruption,” said Ryan Woodward, CEO of NTI. “Add to this the mass retirement of Baby Boomers, and we're seeing ideal conditions for a surge in trade career interest. Our campus expansion allows us to train more people, meeting the growing demand for skilled professionals.”

Recent data supports this trend. A Wall Street Journal-NORC survey revealed that half of Americans now question the value of investing in college, marking the highest rate of skepticism in the survey's decade-long history. Additionally, the 2024 Career Interest Survey, conducted by National Society of High School Scholars, found that 59% of the members of Gen Z believe AI will have a negative impact on society in the next 10 years, with job displacement being a top concern.

“We've been experiencing growing demand for some time now, and at times, we have had to defer some students’ admission,” said Rick Jackson, director of the Phoenix campus. “This campus expansion is our direct response to that increased interest. It allows us to significantly increase our training capacity, addressing the workforce gap by preparing more students for these essential trade careers.”

According to a recent survey by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA), 85% of construction firms have open positions. 

“These statistics paint a clear picture,” added Jackson. “People are seeking career paths that offer stability, good pay, and resistance to AI automation. The trades check all these boxes.”