Skilled workers laid the infrastructure for America, creating the foundation for millions of Americans to turn hard work into above average pay and greater opportunities for themselves and their communities. The bridges and buildings that form our iconic skylines, the factories that drive our industries, the highways that connect our country and the cars and trucks that carry our families all became reality under the expert hands of builders and technicians, engineers, and artisans.
Today, as our nation looks to the next 250 years, there is an opportunity to build a new era of economic productivity and innovation that benefits generations of working Americans.
Big shifts in the global economy, including evolving manufacturing needs and increasing electrification across industries, require new, expanded, and modernized infrastructure. The surging demand for highly skilled workers who can build and sustain that infrastructure has created a milestone moment for the American people.
There are an estimated 2.1 million skilled trades jobs that could go unfilled nationally by 2030, which span multiple industries, sectors, and regions. That means 2.1 million opportunities for American people and their families, who can benefit from good pay and greater economic mobility that skilled jobs can offer. The gaps range from the estimated 130,000 additional electrical workers needed by 2030 to the more than 350,000 new auto technicians needed by 2029.
