Why the U.S. Has A Shortage of Trade Workers

Its official: The US simply does not have enough workers and the demand for trade skills is on the rise.

According to the US Department of Labor the number of job vacancies has been significantly increasing over the past two years. Earlier this year, statistics showed that the US economy had 7.6 million unfilled jobs, but only 6.5 million people were looking for work as of January 2019. Job vacancies continue to be higher than the number of job seekers and there is no sign that the number is slowing down. It is now more apparent than ever that our country is suffering because of it.

Employers in several sectors claimed that they have been experiencing a shortage of laborers in these past five years. One of the most significant examples is looking for workers in skilled trade fields.

"There are 7.6 million jobs, and only 6.5 million people are looking for work."

With these staggering statistics in mind, it comes as no surprise that jobs in the skilled trade industry have been in higher demand. Employers have been complaining about a shortage of skilled workers, particularly workers with advanced degrees in STEM fields. Nearly every industry is experiencing a labor shortage, but here’s the twist: Employers are having a harder time filling blue-collar positions than professional positions that require a college education.

Why? Researchers suggested two basic underlying reasons for this phenomenon. The first reason is that more and more young people are convinced that going to college is the only way to obtain a professional well-paying career. The second and very important reason is that the baby boomers are retiring and with less and less people to fill these jobs no relief for the economy is in sight.

Is college the only answer?

Research from over a hundred campus communities showed that families and employers didn’t know the importance of vocational programs and the roles of those that graduate from these programs. The fact is that many people can begin a rewarding career in the skilled trades in a fraction of the time it takes to earn a traditional degree from a four-year university. What’s more, vocational schools are on average much more affordable than 4-year Bachelor’s degrees and many employers are willing to train you or even pay for your education due to the extreme need for skilled workers.

The time is now

For all those aspiring welders, electricians, carpenters, and other highly sought after trade workers, the opportunity is ripe to take advantage of. The demand is massive – an estimated 3 million trade jobs in the United States remain vacant, including over a half million in manufacturing. Job security is strong – society will always need electricians, mechanics, and other skilled tradesmen to keep things running smoothly. Companies are looking for skilled, educated employees who can get jobs done quicker, better, and with fewer mistakes.

Download the Tradeworthy Jobs app today and find yourself in demand by employers!