Learning a trade is great option for job seekers

There was a huge audience watching the recent Iron Bowl. Our state’s two powerhouse football programs, hard working and not afraid to get dirty, are nationally renowned. Auburn has a clear shot at the national championship, and had to go through the reigning champion to do so. No other state could possibly come close to such a match-up.

The television broadcast and its millions of viewers reflected the national importance. Commercials for every possible thing were aired. Cars, insurance, and consumer products were all on display during the breaks.

Then one commercial talked about a third of Alabama’s skilled tradesmen are over 50, and they’re retiring fast. The spokesman then said, “Guess who’s replacing them? No one.”

The spokesman was the familiar face of Mike Rowe, executive producer and host of Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs.” Rowe is usually seen on his show, or on commercials for products like Ford.

Yet, here he wasn’t selling cars, Rowe was speaking directly to Alabama teens and their parents about the nation’s growing need for skilled tradesmen such as carpenters, electricians, pipefitters, boilermakers and steel workers.

The commercial was a public service announcement for the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute’s “Go Build” campaign. ACRI is a partnership created by the Alabama Legislature last year bringing together partners such as the Alabama AFL-CIO, the Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama, Alabama Road Builders Association, and the Alabama Postsecondary System.

ACRI’s “Go Build” campaign is their recruiting initiative that includes advertising, high school curriculum and a website, www.GoBuildAlabama.com. The website provides trade-specific information on salary, training and more.

The Iron Bowl commercial was just one of many to come.

The effort also connects young people with apprenticeships and connections to potential employers. Individuals under 19 can take part in pre-apprenticeships at select local community colleges, providing an overview of careers available in the construction industry and the training required for each trade.

For every four people retiring from the construction trades nationwide, only one is stepping up to take their place. It is a crisis everywhere, and especially here in Alabama where much of our infrastructure and factories were built in the middle of the last century. The commercial highlighted the coming shortage of skilled tradesmen in Alabama and that mastering a trade can translate into bright futures for young people.

“This country is suffering from a skills gap, and nobody’s talking about it. Many of the things that hold the state of Alabama together were built a long time ago, meaning they’re in need of more than just a fresh coat of paint,” said Rowe in the commercial. “And in the near future, that means big problems for anyone who likes indoor plumbing, electricity, smooth roads, air conditioning, hospitals and every other convenience that modern society enjoys.”

“Go Build” recognizes that we have let vocational education and pride in blue-collar jobs deteriorate. This has done an injustice to young people and may hurt our economy in the long run.

There is no doubt that all kids deserve an opportunity for higher education. Statistics show that attaining a degree provides a chance at higher family incomes and more career paths. Moreover, our state has a lower rate of college-educated persons, also putting us at a competitive disadvantage.

Yet, our singular focus on college-ready courses, and promoting the idea that every student will and should go to college is not only unrealistic, it has a distinct bad outcome in a loss of trained workers we very much need. “Go Build” is a first step in rebuilding the career path to the trades.

“So for all those people hoping to make it big as they climb the corporate ladder, that ladder might not have anywhere to lean,” said Rowe on the commercial. “It means that until people start to step up and fill this overwhelming skills gap in the immediate future, all of us are in serious trouble. It also means big opportunity for that tough, dedicated group of men and women who are smart enough to learn a trade and help build Alabama.”

We have blue-collar teams on the football field, not afraid to get dirty and do the heavy lifting necessary to win.

Bringing that same pride and work ethic to rebuild the trades in Alabama will also create economic success, both to young people who become the tradesmen and tradeswomen, and our entire state.

Johnny Mack Morrow is a state representative for Franklin County. His column appears each Wednesday.