A World Without Trades

Imagine waking up tomorrow to a world where the lights stay off after a storm because no one is available to restore power. A water main breaks, but there’s no one to fix it. New homes remain unfinished, schools delay renovations, and manufacturers halt production because a single piece of machinery sits idle.

It sounds like a worst-case scenario, yet it illustrates a reality we often overlook: nearly every aspect of modern life depends on skilled trades professionals. Electricians, plumbers, welders, HVAC technicians, carpenters, lineworkers, mechanics, and countless others build, maintain, and repair the infrastructure that keeps our communities functioning. When everything works, their contributions are easy to miss. When something fails, they become indispensable.

At the same time, the United States is facing a growing challenge. Demand for skilled trades professionals continues to rise while many experienced workers approach retirement, leaving employers struggling to fill critical positions. According to the National Center for Construction Education and Research and the Associated General Contractors of America, in 2025, 92% of construction firms reported difficulty finding qualified craft workers, making workforce shortages one of the most pressing concerns. Those shortages delay projects and impact housing availability, infrastructure improvements, economic growth, and the resilience of our communities.

Yet despite this growing demand, skilled trades are too often framed as a backup career plan rather than a first-choice career. For decades, many students have received the message that success follows a single path: earn a four-year degree, find an office job, and climb the corporate ladder. While that path is right for many, it isn’t the only route to a meaningful, successful career.

The skilled trades offer something equally valuable: the opportunity to solve complex problems, work with cutting-edge technology, earn competitive wages, and see the tangible results of your work every day. Many tradespeople go on to become supervisors, project managers, entrepreneurs, and business owners. While these individuals are constructing buildings and infrastructure, they are also building careers that provide financial stability, lifelong learning, and opportunities for leadership.

Research also suggests that investing in training benefits both workers and employers. NCCER has found structured craft training contributes to operational benefits, stronger retention, and accelerated proficiency, demonstrating that workforce development is critical in the trades. Developing skilled professionals strengthens businesses and communities for years to come.

But workforce development doesn’t begin when someone applies for a job. It begins much earlier, when young people are exposed to possibilities they may never have considered.

Many students have never met an electrician, welder, heavy equipment operator, or HVAC technician who can share what their career looks like. They may not realize these professions combine technical expertise, problem-solving, teamwork, and continuous learning. They may not know that many skilled trades offer paid apprenticeships, industry-recognized credentials, and opportunities for advancement without following a traditional college pathway.

Changing those perceptions requires all of us. Parents, educators, employers, workforce organizations, and community leaders each play an important role in helping young people explore the full range of careers available to them.

At Resilient, we are proud to provide the Upstart program. Our goal is to help people discover trade careers that align with their strengths, interests, and ambitions, teach them the skills they will need to begin their career, and connect them with mentors and opportunities that can shape their future. We know this work is only one small piece of a much larger effort, but meaningful change happens when communities invest together in the next generation.

The future of our workforce will be built by people—people who design, build, repair, innovate, and take pride in creating something that lasts.

The next time you flip on a light switch, drive across a bridge, walk into a school, or turn on the water, consider the skilled professionals whose work makes those moments possible. Their contributions are often invisible, but they are foundational to the lives we lead every day.

If we want stronger communities tomorrow, we must invest in the people who will build and sustain them.

Learn more about Upstart, which serves Villa Park, IL, and neighboring towns: https://www.resilientstrong.com/upstart.