The Booming Demand for Skilled Trades: Opportunities and Innovations

Skilled trades have long proven to be recession-resilient, as there will always be a need for new construction and other trade projects as infrastructure needs evolve. However, in recent years, there has been an increased demand for these jobs with technological advances, shortages due to an aging workforce, and a surge in demand for new infrastructure. 

In this article, we will further explore contributing factors leading to the trade work boom as well as the benefits and challenges of the changes in trade industries.

Why Trade Jobs Are on the Rise

Demand for jobs across industries often fluctuates over time for various reasons, such as changing interests in newer generations, job growth and new opportunities, and evolving societal needs. Currently, the spike in demand for trade jobs is due to the following three factors: 

An Aging Workforce 

According to McKinsey & Company, there is a desperate need for critical trade skills in the US, with their research pointing to an aging workforce as a significant contributing factor. 

By 2027, the ratio of adults who are too old to work compared to work-age individuals is expected to have risen by 75% since 1984. However, as older generations leave the skilled trades workforce, not enough young people replace them. There are a plethora of job openings ready and waiting for those who are interested. 

McKinsey & Company also highlights cultural barriers in vocational training as another part of the issue. Younger generations, like Gen Z, are being pressured into pursuing advanced-level degrees instead of trade jobs by way of vocational school—but this leads us to our next point. 

Technological Advances 

Skilled trade jobs are also on the rise as technology changes, meaning there is now a wide range of well-paying advanced-level jobs available in the trade industry thanks to a growing implementation of smart and sustainable technologies. 

Many employers are looking for more knowledgeable workers with the specialized skills to navigate advanced technological systems. Alternative energy technologies, for example, are creating more job opportunities for highly skilled electricians.

Numerous other career possibilities in renewable energy are becoming available as the need for more sustainable infrastructure arises. Some of these career opportunities include solar PV installers, wind turbine technicians, green building architects, chemical engineers, and data scientists. 

These are just the opportunities in renewable energy, but there are many other trade areas that need more skilled workers as advanced tools and technologies are enhancing opportunities and operations, such as construction, agriculture, plumbing, transportation, and manufacturing. Technologies like AI, robotics, automation, data, and other smart tools are transforming these industries. Businesses desperately need individuals with advanced knowledge and skill sets to handle them. 

Evolving Infrastructure Needs

There has also been a boom in infrastructure. Thus, there is a need for more workers to accommodate this increased demand as organizations and the government invest heavily in new projects in the energy sector, transportation, and construction. As housing and commercial real estate projects increase due to shifts in demand, there is also a growing need for more skilled tradespeople in the building process.

Benefits and Challenges

Seeking a job in trade today as the industry evolves comes with a host of benefits: 

●      Increased Job Security: A high demand for workers and numerous job opportunities means better job security. There will always be a demand to fill trade jobs, which means never having to worry about your career becoming obsolete.

●      Competitive Pay: The high demand for more trade workers and the need for those with more advanced skills means pay has increased for this type of work and grown more competitive to adequately compensate workers for their specialized skills.

●      Diverse Opportunities: As technology and evolving infrastructure needs lead to the creation of new jobs, there are a wide range of career paths and opportunities to choose from. Whether you want to work in transportation, renewable energy, construction, or manufacturing, there are going to be plenty of jobs available to match your interests.

●      Competitive Edge: Studying to work in trade today requires learning more advanced skills to deal with complex technologies, which can give you a competitive edge as you seek to grow within your field.

●      Job Satisfaction: When you work in trade, you are often met with various hands-on learning opportunities that enable you to solve real-world problems and find immense satisfaction when you see the tangible results of your work.

While there are many advantages to working in trade, there are also important challenges that must be addressed. First, as the current trade workforce ages out, it will become increasingly necessary to not only increase awareness of trade jobs as viable and successful career options but also to ensure diversity by welcoming and encouraging more women and minorities to apply.

It’s also worth noting that while trade jobs are more accessible than other careers that require advanced degrees, future trade workers will need to work toward enhancing their educational knowledge and skills so they can handle emerging advanced technologies and tools.

This not only means seeking initial certifications and taking educational courses but also embracing a mindset of continuous learning to keep up with new trends and evolving technologies.

The Future of Trade Work

The future is bright as trade industries are transformed by rapid advancements. We can expect great things to come from new projects in transportation, construction, renewable energy, and more. The future is bright for those interested in pursuing a career in trade work. With increasingly diverse opportunities, better pay, and increased job security, becoming a trades worker is a smart and admirable choice. 

Sam Bowman writes about people, tech, workers, and how they merge. He enjoys getting to utilize the internet for the community without actually having to leave his house. In his spare time, he likes running, reading, and combining the two in a run to his local bookstore.