Trades shortage

Last week Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit brought together leaders in AI, energy and government. 

Mike Rowe ("Dirty Jobs" show), known as an advocate for the skilled trades, was on one of the panels and had plenty to say. Apparently he predicted the trades shortage 17 years ago, and it's really serious now. Yesterday's post showed that affordable housing is harder to find and more expensive because of it.

His points: 

• Taking shop class out of high school was a shortsighted, "harebrained" idea
• "We've been telling kids for 15 years to learn to code. Well, AI is coming for the coders.  It's not coming for the welders or the steamfitters . ."
• "We need 500,000 electricians in the next couple years. Not hyperbole!"
• Companies building nuclear subs for the Navy are short 80k to 90k skilled workers now
• His foundation awards trade school scholarships

"America is lending money [for college] it doesn't have -- to kids who can't pay it back -- to train them for jobs which no longer exist. That's nuts."