Mike Rowe says employers are increasingly concerned about finding skilled-trades workers, as companies compete for employees and develop training programs to build their workforces.
Rowe, CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, told Fox Business that he regularly hears from business leaders worried about recruiting. He said companies in sectors including data-center construction, defense, automotive and home improvement are seeking workers. Some are also recruiting experienced tradespeople from competitors.
Rowe described a persistent gap between workers leaving the trades and those entering them. He said that, over the past 12 years, five workers have left for every two who replace them. The figure was presented as Rowe’s account; the supplied material does not identify an independent source for the statistic.
The foundation supports training for people entering skilled-trades careers. Rowe said it has assisted 3,600 people and pointed to graduates’ reports of career progress. He also offered examples of young electricians earning high salaries, while cautioning that such cases do not represent everyone and that compensation depends on the individual, employer and location.
The report also cited an economic analysis shared by DECKED, a manufacturer of pickup-truck storage systems. It compared the time needed for trade trainees and some college graduates to recoup education costs, concluding that trade workers could reach that point sooner. The supplied material does not provide further details about the analysis or its methodology.
The comments come amid efforts by companies to attract workers through training and recruitment. Rowe said competition for workers can benefit individuals who pursue new opportunities, though he cautioned that companies hiring from one another may not necessarily benefit the broader country.
