This is the video I've been wanting to make for a long time. America is facing a skilled trades crisis that most people have no idea is happening. The numbers are alarming. The retirement wave is real. And the pipeline of young people entering the trades is nowhere near enough to replace them. In this video I break down exactly what the data shows — nationally and right here in Illinois — and why I believe this is one of the most important conversations we should be having right now. 433,000 manufacturing jobs unfilled today. 2.1 million projected unfilled by 2030. Nearly half the skilled trades workforce over the age of 45. And wages that are growing every single year because there aren't enough of us left. This isn't doom and gloom. This is a call to action. For parents, for young people, for anyone who has ever wondered if the trades are worth it. They are. More than ever. 🔩 Generational machinist | Owner of Crusader Machining, LLC | Aurora, Illinois 🔔 Subscribe for real shop content and real conversations about this trade 📲 @CrusaderMachining on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook
