Industry Update
Skilled Trades Alliance Targets Labor Shortage
BlackRock, Carhartt, Ford Motor Co. and Google have launched the Alliance for America’ s Skilled Trades to support workforce training for infrastructure, construction and technical careers. The founding companies have independently committed to skilled workforce training initiatives in 30 states. The alliance will coordinate and expand those efforts as demand grows for electrical workers, technicians, builders and other skilled employees.
The companies cited a JLL estimate that as many as 2.1 million skilled trades positions could go unfilled by 2030. Many of those jobs are connected to infrastructure, energy and manufacturing projects.
The alliance’ s first priority is expanding the skilled trades pipeline by increasing awareness and making training opportunities more accessible. It will also invest in workforce development approaches such as apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships, which allow participants to earn income while receiving on-the-job training.
The organization will partner with Burning Glass and Jobs for the Future to produce a report measuring workforce gaps, tracking progress and identifying practices that could be used by employers and training organizations.
The alliance also plans to work with additional companies, labor organizations, schools and nonprofit groups. Its founding members currently work with unions, trade associations and professional organizations in the construction and electrical sectors.
Through its Future Builders initiative, BlackRock plans to provide $ 100 million in grants to nonprofit and workforce development partners across five years. The initiative is expected to connect 50,000 workers with skilled trades training while supporting program completion, licensing and financial education.
Carhartt has supported more than 60 nonprofit and community organizations through its For the Love of Labor program since 2022.
Ford has committed $ 300 million to skilled trades workforce development and the Essential Economy in 2026. The company’ s definition of the Essential Economy includes construction, manufacturing, energy, public services, transportation and logistics.
Google has committed $ 50 million to training programs involving 14 labor unions and four trade and contractor associations. The company said the funding will help prepare more than 300,000 workers in more than 20 states for skilled trades careers.
JLG Report Highlights Trends Reshaping Access Equipment Selection
A new JLG whitepaper examines how labor shortages, specialized applications and connected technology are changing access equipment selection.
JLG Industries has published a new whitepaper exploring five trends affecting work at height and access equipment selection across modern construction environments.
The report, Five Trends Reshaping Work at Height, focuses on labor shortages, specialized applications, technology and coordinated workflows and how those factors are influencing decisions made by contractors, rental companies and equipment owners.
“ Today’ s job sites continue to evolve, driven by changing project requirements, workforce challenges and advances in technology,” says Brent Miller, vice president sales administration, marketing and Latin America, JLG.“ These trends reflect what we’ re hearing from customers across the industry and highlight the growing importance of matching the right equipment and technologies to the application.”
The report points to ongoing construction workforce challenges as one factor influencing equipment decisions. ABC estimated that the construction industry needed to attract 439,000 additional workers last year to meet anticipated demand, while an AGC and NCCER Workforce Survey found that 88 % of contractors had unfilled craft positions.
At the same time, construction applications are becoming more specialized, according to JLG. Data centers, advanced manufacturing facilities, urban construction and infrastructure projects can each present different requirements for access equipment.
The report also examines the role of connected technologies in equipment management. These systems can provide greater visibility into machine status and utilization, while integrated machine features can support operators working in increasingly complex environments.
JLG said the trends do not operate independently. Instead, the whitepaper looks at how workforce availability, application-specific equipment, connected technology and coordinated workflows collectively affect equipment selection and project execution.
The whitepaper is available as a complimentary download through JLG DirectAccess and includes considerations for selecting equipment based on specific applications and changing jobsite requirements.
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