The U.S. will need to fill an estimated 1.7 million skilled trades openings annually through 2035, but training programs produce just 55 workers for every 100 needed, according to a report from the Alliance for America's Skilled Trades.
The State of America's Skilled Trades: A National Report examines 124 occupations across all 50 states. The report identifies nine states where worker demand outpaces supply, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.
The report also found that 86 of the 124 occupations are expected to add jobs or maintain current employment levels through 2035. Training completion remains a challenge, with only about half of participants finishing their programs. High-quality apprenticeship programs, however, report completion rates above 90%.
Barriers such as transportation, child care and the need to earn a paycheck can prevent workers from completing training, the report found.
The alliance also launched an interactive dashboard with state- and occupation-specific workforce data to help employers, educators and policymakers identify labor gaps and target training investments.
