Skilled trades surge as AI and energy projects reshape U.S. job demand
A rare point of agreement is emerging across ideological lines as concerns grow over how artificial intelligence could reshape the American workforce. Mike Rowe, CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, joined FOX Business' Stuart Varney on 'Varney & Co.' to discuss how rapid technological change is colliding with a long-standing shortage of skilled labor, creating what he sees as a turning point for the economy.
Rowe's warning echoes a broader message gaining traction across the political spectrum. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has also pointed to mounting pressure on workers and a changing economic landscape, framing the moment as one of major disruption.
"I actually agree with Bernie Sanders. ... I think we're on the cusp of a revolution unlike anything we've ever seen," Rowe said.
Rowe pointed to a surge in demand for skilled trades as companies race to build out the infrastructure needed to support artificial intelligence, data centers and energy expansion. In some parts of the country, he said, electricians are commanding salaries that rival or exceed many white-collar roles, with employers competing aggressively for a limited pool of workers.
That shift, he argued, could flip long-held assumptions about education and career paths as industries once seen as secondary become central to supporting a new digital economy.
"This new era is going to be a renaissance for electricians, steamfitters, pipefitters, welders, CNC operators," Rowe said.
Rowe warned the scale of the coming buildout, which he described as tied to trillions of dollars in investment, will test whether the U.S. workforce is prepared to meet the moment as companies and institutions scramble to close the skills gap.
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