CARLISLE, Pennsylvania — The Department of War is undergoing a massive transformation based largely on the evolution of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, but it’s looking to the next generation to fill the void in the industrial base that will facilitate and sustain it.There are jobs the department needs to fill in droves that require higher education, such as engineers, computer scientists, and robotics professionals, while there are also tremendous needs in trade opportunities, such as welders, machinists, electricians, and more, that are already in short supply. The technological advances ranging from AI to robotics will facilitate improvements in the manufacturing process, but there will still be touch labor.“We think it’s a critical national imperative that we galvanize the next generation,” Assistant Secretary of War for the Industrial Base Michael Cadenazzi said on Tuesday. “Your middle school kids today are going to be building submarines in 10 years. We need to get them excited in elementary school, in middle school, and in high school, and thinking about these careers and these trades.”
For the trades, the department and defense companies have to make this career path an appealing one, both for those who don’t believe college is right for them and their parents who may feel differently. The Pentagon, by providing stable yearslong contracts and clear signs of future needs, can help ensure the companies that make up the defense industrial base can continue to support a growing workforce.“Mom and dad need to understand that their kid is succeeding, even if they went to college, and they want their kid to go ahead and go to college initially,” Cadenazzi said. “Because we sort of talk about that, but a lot of what we’re trying to do is say, ‘Hey, it’s OK, it’s good, skilled trades, you can make real money. It’s real. It’s an incredible opportunity. You have a stable job, credible demand.'”He appeared on a panel at the McCormick Defense Summit on Tuesday at the Army War College outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The event, hosted by Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA), brought together military leaders and more than 500 defense companies, the vast majority of which do business in the Keystone State.Robot dogs walk past the reviewing stand during a military parade commemorating the Army’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
