The service trades shortage is dire.

According to a 2020 report, 71% of contractors say there is a lack of skilled tradespeople.

Bob Oates Sewer & Rooter, a family-owned and operated plumbing company, is announcing the launch of new AI-powered plumbing services, Roto-Bot, enabling more contactless interactions while helping the company scale.

I am lucky enough to talk to contractors, both large and small, all across the U.S. Inevitably, when I ask them about their greatest challenge or greatest future challenge, the answer is always the same: The skilled trades labor shortage. 

Recruiting skilled, reliable plumbing employees is getting more difficult by the day. I know all about this because I operate a technical trade school with locations in Las Vegas and Phoenix. 

The bill seeks to reauthorize the 1937 National Apprenticeship Act, which established the registered apprenticeship system, for the first time since its inception 84 years ago.

Newsflash: The United States is facing a skilled trades labor shortage. Unless someone has had their head buried under a rock the past few years, most Americans are aware of this ongoing problem. 

Many characteristics today associated with registered apprenticeships — progressive wage increases, mentorship and safety standards — are not part of the 1937 law; they have instead been included in subsequent U.S. Department of Labor regulations. These provisions and more would be codified into the new federal law, as well as expanding apprenticeship programs through authorization of $400-$800 million in new grant funding.

Industry experts share a concern about the demographics for manufacturing, distribution and skilled trades jobs.

On Sept. 4, Carhartt unveiled a larger-than-life installation of 1,670 hard hats to represent 1.67 million job openings across construction, manufacturing, mining, logging, transportation, trade and utilities.