Ford-backed skilled trades report flags 1.7 million annual US openings through 2035
F•A Ford-backed report projects 1.7 million annual U.S. skilled-trades openings through 2035, while training programs produce 55 workers for every 100 needed. The report also says only 50% finish training, compared with completion rates above 90% for apprenticeship programs.
1. Training capacity concerns
The Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades published a national report projecting 1.7 million annual skilled-trades openings through 2035 and identified training capacity as the key constraint. It said programs produce 55 workers for every 100 needed, and only 50% of trainees finish, compared with completion rates above 90% for apprenticeship programs. The alliance also expanded its membership by 14 companies and launched an interactive dashboard with more than 5,000 state- and trade-level profiles across 124 occupations.
