Young CEO from Gen Z Warns About Crippling Workforce Shortage as Baby Boomers Retire
Skilled Trades Gain Spotlight in U.S. Workforce Amid Aging Population and Labor Shortages
A growing emphasis on skilled trades in the U.S. workforce is being driven by the aging population and the retirement of experienced tradespeople, leading to a severe labor shortage in critical sectors like manufacturing, construction, and infrastructure projects.
According to a report by Forbes, more than 1 million trade jobs remain unfilled as of June 2025. This demographic shift, combined with a decline in traditional white-collar job openings and the rising costs and time commitments of college education, is making skilled trades a vital and practical career pathway for younger workers.
Amrita Bhasin, a 24-year-old CEO, is at the forefront of reshaping the hiring landscape by advocating for skills over college degrees. Bhasin, the CEO of Sotira, a logistics and artificial intelligence startup company, is not requiring college degrees for hiring at her startup. Instead, she is focusing on hiring and training candidates without degrees to fill the growing need for skilled workers.
Bhasin argues that the prestige gap between white-collar and blue-collar work is closing, and that everyone, regardless of economic strata, is recognizing the value of blue-collar jobs. She notes that AI cannot do jobs such as HVAC, and that the supply chain industry, including logistics, is very old-school and ripe for automation, but needs young people to keep it running.
The U.S. population is older today than ever before, with the number of Americans aged 65 and older projected to increase from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050. This demographic change is leading to a significant labor shortage, particularly in the skilled trades. Critical industries are experiencing delays and budget issues due to the lack of skilled workers, increasing demand for new workers in trades.
Despite the advantages of skilled trades, such as a quicker route to well-paying careers without the heavy debt or time commitment of traditional college, younger generations like Gen Z are less convinced of this advantage. However, efforts are being made to change the narrative by highlighting strong pay, purpose, career growth, and flexibility in trades, as well as integrating technology into training to attract digital-native younger workers.
The Trump administration has prioritized bolstering the skilled trades workforce, with President Donald Trump's push including expanding skilled jobs training. This push was discussed by Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer on 'The Big Money Show'. Bhasin warns that the U.S. may not look the same in a decade if more young people don't pivot to reliable skilled trades.
In summary, the growing emphasis on skilled trades stems from a demographic and economic need to fill a widening workforce gap caused by retirements, combined with efforts to reposition the trades as attractive, viable career options for younger Americans. Bhasin advises that what one's passion is should always be what they pursue, regardless of degree or major.
- As Amrita Bhasin, the CEO of a logistics and AI startup, bypasses college degrees in her hiring process, she is contributing to the reshaping of the hiring landscape, focusing instead on skilled workers.
- The Trump administration is prioritizing the bolstering of the skilled trades workforce, with discussions about expanding job training being led by Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
- Personal growth, career development, and skills training are being emphasized to attract digital-native younger workers to the trades, challenging the prevailing notion that these industries lack any long-term professional benefits.
- The retirement of experienced tradespeople and the resulting labor shortage in sectors like manufacturing, construction, and infrastructure projects are pushing the finance industry to invest in education-and-self-development programs for skilled trades.
