At Ford Accelerate: The State of America's Skilled Trades Report Released

NACCE President & CEO Dr. Rebecca Corbin participated in the Ford Accelerate Launch on September 30th in Detroit, Michigan, where The State of America’s Skilled Trades national report was released. The report highlights significant opportunities for community colleges to help address the nation’s growing skilled trades workforce needs.

Among the key findings: 86 of 124 skilled trades occupations are expected to grow or remain steady through 2035, and employers will need to fill approximately 1.7 million openings annually. The report also points to a major opportunity to improve completion and retention rates, as too many learners (nearly 50%) are lost between entering a training pathway and building a career in the trades. NACCE encourages all members to read the report and explore strategies to align programs with high-growth trades and strengthen student persistence and success.

NACCE’s SkillPointe.com platform can be part of the solution. When learners take the free 90-second quiz and focus on skilled trades paths that align with their interests and financial resources on the site are accessed to help support their journey, retention and success are much more likely.