Arizona Tribune - Red Wing Launches Big Boots to Fill Campaign, Honoring Blue-Collar Dads and Inspiring the Next Generation of Trade Workers

RED WING, MN / ACCESS Newswire / June 18, 2026 / Today, Red Wing, the legacy work boot brand, is launching Big Boots to Fill, a campaign honoring blue-collar dads and championing the kids who want to follow in their footsteps. The campaign coincides with new research commissioned by Red Wing and conducted by Talker Research which found that 70% of Gen Alpha kids (ages 5-16) want a blue-collar job when they grow up.

Big Boots to Fill recognizes the discipline and craftsmanship of today's skilled laborers while encouraging the next generation's interest in the trades. There are three components driving the activation: a national research study on how parents and kids think about blue-collar work, a partnership with Heavy Metal Summer Experience to support kids entering the trades, and a video series coming to Red Wing's social channels.

"Kids dream about being builders and skilled laborers, but as they get older they're too often steered away from those paths in favor of four year degrees and the corporate world," said Dave Schneider, Chief Marketing Officer, Red Wing Shoe Company. "We want to keep those dreams alive and show the next generation that trade work isn't a backup plan, it's what our society is built on. Big Boots to Fill celebrates the people who've done this work for years and shows up-and-comers how to get started."

What Parents and Kids Really Think About the Trades

To better understand how career conversations happen at home, Red Wing and Talker Research surveyed 2,000 parents and their Gen Alpha children (ages 5-16). The findings show parents are starting these conversations early, with a focus on helping their kids find work that makes them happy. The survey also revealed that parents who have worked in the trades themselves are the most likely to point their kids in that direction.

Key findings include:

• 85% of Gen Alpha kids want a "hands-on" job

• 70% of parents would encourage their child to pursue a trade or blue-collar career, rising to 80% among parents who do trade work themselves

• 68% of kids knew what trade and blue-collar jobs are; of those, 85% think they're good careers and 88% think they're important ones

• 70% of kids who know what blue-collar jobs are want one when they grow up

• Some already have a trade in mind: firefighter (11%), construction worker (9%), electrician (8%), welder (7%), or carpenter (6%)

Heavy Metal Summer Experience: Introducing the Next Generation to the Trades

To turn that interest into opportunity, Red Wing is partnering with Heavy Metal Summer Experience, a nonprofit that introduces high school students to careers in the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and sheet metal trades through free, hands-on summer camps.

As a 2026 national sponsor of Heavy Metal Summer Experience, Red Wing is helping support more than 1,000 students across the U.S. as they explore skilled trades careers, build confidence through hands-on learning, and connect with industry professionals who can help them take their first steps toward future career pathways.

This partnership extends the mission of the Big Boots to Fill campaign by helping young people move from early curiosity about the trades to real-world exposure.

Video Love Notes From Kids to Their Blue-Collar Dads

Trades and blue-collar careers rarely get the recognition they deserve, but the children of these workers see the value up close. The Big Boots to Fill video series captures that perspective, interviewing kids about their dads' jobs and what they admire most.

As six-year-old Maliah says in her video, "My dad is an ironworker... he builds buildings, he builds stadiums, he builds skyscrapers. He always, always, never gives up."

"I found a VHS tape of myself as a kid, waddling around in my dad's giant work boots. I remember being that small and thinking there was nobody stronger or more capable than my dad, that there wasn't anything he couldn't fix. I wanted to be just like him, and that childhood admiration was really the inspiration behind the video series," said Ani Djaferian, Associate Creative Director at Red Wing. "Kids have so much reverence for people who build and fix things, they maintain a sense of enchantment at the everyday things we as adults often take for granted and just expect to work. At Red Wing, we want to keep that enthusiasm alive."

To watch the full Big Boots to Fill video series, please visit Red Wing's Instagram and YouTube channels.

About Red Wing:

Established in 1905, Red Wing is an American footwear brand built on a legacy of uncompromising craftsmanship and quality. From industry-leading boots to work apparel, Red Wing blends traditional construction with modern innovation to deliver products made to last and meet the demands of trades workers. Rooted in a simple but profound purpose - to help you build your life's work - Red Wing designs gear with quality materials that support those who build our world with the confidence, style, and comfort they deserve.

Media Contact:

Name: Martina Corona
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Red Wing

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

A.Clark--AT