Mike Rowe sounds alarm over 'scary' trade worker shortage: US on 'verge of not being able to make stuff'

FOX Business host Mike Rowe sounded alarm bells on the nationwide blue-collar worker shortage, warning there are significant national security implications for the country if American-made production plummets as a result of the scarcity. 

The "How America Works" host discussed his concern stemming from the trade worker shortage and how it relates to national security and the country's debt during the "Brian Kilmeade Show" on Thursday, highlighting the importance of domestic production and a "balanced workforce."

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"The more immediate mathematical problem revolves around the numbers five and two," Rowe told host Brian Kilmeade on Thursday. "Every year, for every five tradespeople who retire, two people replace them. This has been going on for about 18 years, and the math has become so critical and so under-reported. You can't find a single major corporation today who relies to some degree on skilled labor [that] isn't struggling to hire."

"I sound like a broken record with this, but Brian… not a week goes by [when] I don't talk to a big organization who is quietly saying, 'we don't know how this is going to come out,'" he continued. 

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Rowe, an outspoken advocate for young people entering blue-collar lines of work, argued it is "scary" that there are not enough tradespeople entering the labor force at the rate they are currently needed. 

Although enrollment in vocational community colleges is up 16% since 2018, according to a January 2024 National Student Clearinghouse report, it is still not enough to overturn the scarcity as younger generations contemplate turning toward trades.

Another Clearinghouse report released in April detailed the drop in undergraduate completions for the 2022-23 academic year, marking a decline for the second year in a row. However, that year also saw continued growth in first-time certificate earners in mechanical or repairs, production and construction trades. 

Regardless, Rowe warned there are national security consequences as a result of the shortfall. 

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"This is only a matter of national security, and just because my foundation is in the thick of it doesn't mean it's not true," Rowe said. "My slip might be showing here a little bit, and sorry to commandeer your rant with this one, but if we're going to talk about scary numbers, that's scarier to me because we are right on the verge of not being able to make stuff."

"If making stuff in this country matters, if a balanced workforce is important, if the skilled trades are still a thing… this is it, man. I'm ringing the alarm bell. It's about to tip," he said. 

Rowe's comments come as the national debt continues to climb. At a time when inflation and the cost of four-year degrees are largely unattainable for some Americans, this has prompted many to seek vocational school as an alternative to collegiate education. 

Kilmeade pressed Rowe on how the nation can solve its debt crisis. 

"One thing that's pretty clear is, we are buried in debt. We are going to have $50 trillion in debt in 20 years… This is going to kill us. We're spending way too much on social programs… How do we get out of something like this?" he asked.

"The short answer is, I don't know," Rowe said. "It's going to be very, very painful."

"There's just so much money wrapped up in so many things, and nobody, at least in the next decade, in my opinion, is going to get elected by candidly telling the people the truth… That just hasn't worked so far. It is going to have to go ‘splat,’ I think, first before people really start [to] really, really, truly get that memo," he said.

FOX Business' Agustin Hays contributed to this report. 

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