What the 2024 Numbers Tell Us About Holiday Hiring in the Skilled Trades

Each year, as the holidays approach, many employers in the skilled trades begin to ease off their recruiting efforts. Job postings expire, outreach slows down, and hiring teams often assume that tradespeople are stepping away from the job market until January. However, FactoryFix data from the second half of 2024 tells a very different story. The slowdown didn’t come from the job seekers, It came from the employers.

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What Really Happened in Late 2024

Between October and December, hiring activity slowed across the platform. Recruiter actions on FactoryFix dropped by more than 20 percent, and the number of active skilled trades jobs decreased from around 4,200 to just over 2,200.

Despite that decline in employer activity, candidate interest stayed strong. Skilled trades professionals continued to search and apply for new roles, and total applications actually increased from about 68,000 in October to nearly 80,000 in December.

The data makes it clear that tradespeople remained engaged even as employers reduced their outreach and job postings.

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Recruiter Activity Slowed While Applications Rose

When we looked closer at recruiter behavior, we saw that the types of actions most tied to hiring progress, such as interviews and offers, declined through the end of the year.

Between October and December, recruiter momentum fell by more than 25 percent, while applications increased by nearly 20 percent.

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This means that employers were receiving more applications but advancing fewer candidates in the process. Recruiters were still active, but less time was spent on the steps that lead to hires.

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‍Why That Matters for Skilled Trades Hiring

This shift creates an advantage for teams that stay in motion. When fewer employers are recruiting, open roles receive more attention from qualified tradespeople.

December data proves the point. Recruiter activity declined sharply, yet applications rose. The companies that kept their jobs active during that time reached more candidates while facing less competition.

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How to Stay Ahead in 2026

These trends offer a clear lesson for skilled trades hiring teams.

• Keep jobs visible. Many tradespeople and manufacturing workers look for new opportunities at the end of the year as they plan for career changes.
  
  
• Follow through. Scheduling interviews and extending offers during quieter months helps you stay ahead when others pause.
  
  
• Use automation to stay consistent. FactoryFix AI recruiters continue sourcing and screening candidates even when your internal team is short-staffed or on holiday schedules.
  
  

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The Takeaway

Recruiting does not stop during the holidays. It simply changes pace.

While many employers stepped back from hiring, skilled trades professionals kept applying. The lesson from 2024 is that the talent market remains active even when companies assume it has slowed. Teams that stay visible, responsive, and consistent through November and December enter the new year with stronger pipelines and a head start on the competition.

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Keep Building Momentum with FactoryFix

Whether you already partner with FactoryFix or are exploring ways to strengthen your hiring strategy, now is the time to keep building momentum.

Our AI-powered recruiters and skilled trades network help teams stay visible, responsive, and connected with qualified candidates throughout every season.

If you want to start 2026 ahead of the curve, connect with FactoryFix to see how continuous recruiting momentum can help you hire better and faster.