By Melvin Robinson III
My Father worked as a HVAC Technician for well over 15 years.
There were many days when I would visit him on job sites and see dozens of workers all working on a project. It could be building a house, renovating a commercial property or all that in between. It was amazing to see the amount of work, and people, doing so many things at once to achieve a common goal. That’s also when I realized the power in and around labor.
As we celebrate National Skilled Trades Day, I wanted to highlight the fact that we’re at the beginning of a crisis in America that is rooted in demographics. Skilled trades, the backbone of our infrastructure and economy, are facing a mass retirement of experienced workers. The “Silver Tsunami” is a term used to describe the social and economic changes being caused by the aging of the largest segment of the U.S. population, Baby Boomers. Millions of Baby Boomers are aging out of the workforce, leaving behind critical roles in Construction, Manufacturing, Energy, and other sectors unfilled. It’s a real issue. My Father, a Baby Boomer, would have been a part of this number.
To meet this moment, we need to act fast and we need to act smart. One of the most strategic things we can do is increase Black youth participation in registered apprenticeship programs. These programs combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction, creating pathways into high-demand careers that pay well and don’t require a four-year degree. They are a gateway to financial independence, career mobility, and long-term economic stability.I have an interest in this for a couple of different reasons. As a Black man, I want to see our youth succeed in every way that they can. Unrelated, while working as the Executive Director of a Trade Association, I saw the different opportunities there are to make a lucrative career for oneself and provide for their family. I want that for our youth, and I believe it is very achievable. I currently work in Communications that involve labor, and my eyes have been opened to the various opportunities that are sitting by, unfulfilled and atrophying.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Labor analyzed by the Center for American Progress, Black workers are underrepresented in registered apprenticeships across the country. Although Black Americans make up nearly 13 percent of the U.S. population, they represent only 9 percent of active apprentices. The numbers are even more troubling when you dig deeper: Black apprentices are concentrated in lower-wage programs and significantly underrepresented in higher-paying, higher-growth sectors such as construction and electrical work.
In states with large Black populations, the gaps are even more obvious. In Georgia, Black residents account for 32 percent of the population, but just 16 percent of apprentices. In South Carolina, Black people make up 27 percent of the population but only 20 percent of apprentices. This highlights an issue of access, equity, and targeted investment.
We can’t afford to ignore this problem. Not when skilled trade industries are struggling to find workers and when the Department of Labor projects over 584,000 annual job openings in the skilled trades between now and 2032. We have a generation of Black youth facing structural barriers to quality employment, including the rising cost of college, persistent wage gaps, and a lack of community-centered career guidance. In my opinion, we must change the narrative and infrastructure around skilled trades. I believe it starts with three bold commitments.
1. We need to remove the stigma.
There’s still a harmful myth circulating that vocational training and apprenticeships are second-rate options, a plan B for people who weren’t “smart” enough for college. That is very flawed thinking. Skilled labor jobs are very essential to our everyday lives and they’re very lucrative. The average salary for someone in a registered apprenticeship program after completion is around $80,000 annually. These careers offer stability, dignity, and the opportunity to build wealth, especially in historically marginalized communities. We need the community to actively promote apprenticeships AND education as choices young people can make for their careers. Not “trades as a backup” but rather holding them to the same regard. As a college dropout, I expect people to assume I would be anti-college. Not at all. I believe both are important and both can be used to achieve career goals for our youth. We should not trash one for the other, or as I have seen more recently, call college a “scam”. They both have a place.
2. We need to build stronger pipelines.
Access to apprenticeship programs starts with awareness and opportunity. Right now, too many Black youth simply don’t know these programs exist, or they don’t know how to access them. We must increase targeted outreach in Black communities, particularly in high schools, community colleges, and workforce centers. Industry leaders and Unions must collaborate with organizations to ensure more inclusive recruitment strategies. We must ensure that Black apprentices have the support needed to complete their programs. Mentorship, transportation, child care assistance, and wraparound services are not luxuries but they are necessities for many working class people (not just black) trying to build a better life.
3. We need to leverage bad policy.
Another factor that must be acknowledged in addressing the future of America’s skilled trades workforce is Immigration. Historically, immigrants have filled critical labor shortages, contributed to our economy, and kept vital industries like Construction, and Healthcare running. Unfortunately, current anti-immigration policy at the federal level restricts this flow of talent, which will only deepen our workforce crisis. The country must come to terms with this reality: either we create pathways for Immigrants to help fill these essential roles, or these jobs will remain unfilled and cause delays, inefficiencies, and economic strain across industries. Ironically, this creates an opportunity. With so many jobs going unfilled, we have a historic chance to connect Black Americans to good-paying, career-building opportunities at all levels in these trades.
I believe deeply in the power of skilled trades to transform lives. My Father was a skilled tradesman for most of my life and so were many others in my family. These aren’t just jobs. These are careers that build houses, keep the power on, heal the sick, and maintain the systems our society relies on every day. These are institutions that must survive to insure our survival. We stand at an inflection point where Black Americans have a real chance to make our voices heard through labor. Imagine what our economy could look like if we invested in the full potential of Black youth. Not just as workers, but as Apprentices, Journeymen, Supervisors, and eventually, Business owners. That future is possible. But it won’t happen by chance,it will happen by choice.
Let’s make the right one.
Melvin Robinson III is a communications strategist with expertise in public affairs, media relations, and content creation. He previously served as Executive Director of the Mississippi Cannabis Trade Association, where he led advocacy and education efforts around cannabis policy. With experience across public and private sectors, he focuses on storytelling that drives engagement, equity, and impact. His substack can be found at melvinrobinsoniii.substack.com