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Skilled Trades

All articles tagged with #skilled trades

economy8 days ago•6 min saved

AI infrastructure boom drives skilled trades demand despite public backlash

The AI boom is creating a surge in demand for skilled trades workers, particularly in data center construction and maintenance, leading to high wages and job security. While white-collar jobs face AI disruption, blue-collar roles like electricians and HVAC technicians are thriving. However, a significant worker shortage exists due to aging populations and insufficient training pipelines. Public opposition to data centers is rising, but experts argue current projects will sustain demand for years.

via USA Today|

#ai-infrastructure #data-centers #economy

economy10 days ago•39 min saved

Ford Panel Warns of Critical Skilled Trades Shortage, Urges 'Purple' Workforce Model

Mike Rowe, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and Defense official Michael Duffey argued at a Ford event that the U.S. faces a severe shortage of skilled tradespeople, with retirements outpacing new entrants. They proposed replacing the traditional college-versus-trades dichotomy with a 'purple' workforce model that integrates technical skills with intellectual learning, citing a need for 100,000 workers in defense manufacturing over the next decade.

via Fortune|

#defense-industry #economy #education-policy

business21 days ago•2 min saved

Skilled trades on the rise: high pay without a four-year degree

The piece uses Bureau of Labor Statistics data to highlight fast-growing, high-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree. Notable roles include transportation, storage and distribution managers (about $100k median; ~5–6% growth 2025–2035) and first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers (roughly $75k–$100k). It also notes high-earning trades like elevator/escalator installers and repairers (median $100k+) and electrical power-line installers (7%+ growth; $75k–$100k). Nuclear/power-plant operators pay well but are expected to decline, while some positions demand extensive training or apprenticeships. The article also discusses ongoing societal bias toward college and the value of non-degree pathways.

via wyff4.com|

#apprenticeships-training #business #labor-market-trends

economy21 days ago•2 min saved

No-College, High-Paying: Growing Jobs That Don’t Require a Degree

U.S. data show several fast-growing, high-paying occupations that don’t require a bachelor’s degree—often just a high school diploma plus training or an apprenticeship. From 2025 to 2035, roles such as transportation, storage and distribution managers (median pay around $100k) and first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers are projected to grow 5–6%, while elevator/escalator installers and electrical power-line installers show strong demand and similar pay. Some high-paid roles, like nuclear power reactor operators, pay well but are expected to shrink. The analysis highlights skill-based paths as an alternative to four-year degrees and notes aging demographics and immigration dynamics shaping demand.

via WESH|

#economy #education #job-growth

business21 days ago•3 min saved

Skilled trades surge as fast-growing, high-paying jobs don’t require a college degree

A new analysis highlights fast-growing, high-paying U.S. jobs that don’t require a college degree—chiefly in transportation/logistics and skilled trades—with median pay around $75k–$100k and about 5–6% growth projected through 2035; some roles (like elevator installers) pay six figures, while others (e.g., nuclear power plant operators) may decline; experts note college remains valuable, but demand for skilled trades is rising as the workforce ages.

via WCVB|

#bureau-of-labor-statistics #business #employment-growth

business1 month ago•6 min saved

AI Buildout Fuels U.S. Skilled-Trades Surge

AI-driven data-center and infrastructure buildout is powering a U.S. construction boom, boosting demand for electricians, plumbers, heavy-equipment operators and other skilled trades as data centers, chip plants and 5G networks come online. Spending is forecast to rise from $2.22 trillion in 2026 to $2.85 trillion by 2031, with industrial construction projected to reach $684 billion by 2031, creating long-term jobs but highlighting potential shortages without new training pipelines.

via Fox News|

#ai #business #construction

business2 months ago•5 min saved

From High School to $40+ An Hour: Building Data Centers Without a Degree

Cody Cole, 25, rose from earning $15/hour to over $40/hour as a data-center superintendent overseeing 45 people after completing a WECA apprenticeship funded by his employer, illustrating a high-earning path in skilled trades that requires no traditional college degree; the data-center boom and AI demand are driving abundant opportunities and mentoring potential across construction and related roles.

via Business Insider|

#apprenticeship #business #career-path

technology4 months ago•1 min saved

Meta Launches Free Training to Build Its Data Center Workforce

Meta’s Americas Workforce Academy will offer free, paid apprenticeships in four states to train residents as fiber technicians, welders, electricians and more for its data-center projects; graduates earn an NCERC credential and the Americas Workforce Certificate and are matched with Meta contractors for on-site work, a move to address skilled-trade shortages and ease community concerns about jobs tied to Big Tech.

via Axios|

#apprenticeships #data-centers #meta

technology4 months ago•2 min saved

Meta launches free five-week training to build its data-center workforce

Meta is launching America's workforce academy, a $115 million program offering free five-week training for veterans and career changers to enter data-center skilled trades, with graduates receiving industry credentials and guaranteed jobs in roles such as electrical, mechanical systems, and plumbing as data-center expansion drives AI infrastructure.

via CBS News|

#data-centers #job-guarantee #meta-platforms

technology8 months ago•8 min saved

AI Data Center Boom Faces a Trades Shortage

AI giants’ data-center expansion is colliding with a national shortage of electricians, plumbers, and HVAC tech, driving wage competition and slower builds despite high demand; industry groups, unions, and Google-backed training programs are trying to scale skilled labor, but bottlenecks persist and regional differences exist.

via WIRED|

#ai #construction-labor #data-centers

business9 months ago•4 min saved

Walmart Employee Boosts Pay by Joining Skilled Trades Program

Walmart has revamped its training program to address the growing shortage of skilled tradespeople, enabling employees like Liz Cardenas to significantly increase their pay and responsibilities, which highlights the broader industry challenge of labor shortages in trades due to retirements and immigration issues. The initiative aims to attract more workers into technical roles, crucial for maintaining operations and reducing costly downtimes, with plans to train 4,000 workers by 2030.

via Fortune|

#business #labor-shortage #maintenance-technicians

business9 months ago•4 min saved

US Companies Aim to Boost Skilled Trades Workforce

Walmart is actively addressing the US skilled trades labor shortage by revamping its training programs to develop maintenance technicians, aiming to fill critical roles in its distribution centers and stores, amidst a broader industry challenge of declining skilled workers and increasing operational costs.

via ABC News|

#business #labor-shortage #skilled-trades

business1 year ago•3 min saved

Ford CEO Warns of Blue-Collar Labor Shortage Threatening AI and Manufacturing Growth

Ford CEO Jim Farley shared a personal realization about the blue-collar labor crisis, highlighting that many young workers need multiple jobs to support themselves, and emphasizing the urgent need for investment in skilled trades and vocational training to address a nationwide labor shortage and rebuild the stability and pride associated with blue-collar careers.

via Fortune|

#blue-collar-workforce #business #ford

business1 year ago•3 min saved

Ford CEO Highlights Blue-Collar Workforce Shortage as Key to AI and Economic Growth

Ford CEO Jim Farley warns that the U.S. faces a significant shortage of blue-collar workers needed to build and operate AI data centers and factories, which could hinder the country's ability to achieve its AI ambitions and sustain economic growth. The shortage is attributed to an aging workforce, restrictive immigration policies, and a lack of awareness, necessitating policy changes and increased investment in vocational training.

via Fortune|

#ai-infrastructure #business #data-centers

economy1 year ago•3 min saved

Gen Z College Grads Face Same Unemployment as Non-Grads, Signaling Decline in Education's Value

Recent data shows that for Gen Z men, having a college degree no longer offers a lower unemployment rate compared to non-grads, indicating the diminishing value of higher education for employment prospects. Meanwhile, many young men are turning to skilled trades and vocational training as alternative career paths, which are experiencing growth and are seen as more recession-resistant. The trend highlights a shift in the job market where credentials matter less, and practical skills are increasingly valued.

via Fortune|

#college-degrees #economy #gen-z