Tradesmen Shortage Looms

(NewsUSA) - Most Americans know the U.S. job market is improving. They may not realize, however, that there is a critical need for skilled tradesmen. America doesn't have a jobs shortage. America has a skills shortage.

For the fourth year in a row, the workforce solutions company ManpowerGroup reports that skilled trades remain the most difficult jobs to fill in the U.S. According to the employers who participated in Manpower's Talent Shortage Survey, the primary reason companies are unable to fill open positions is a lack of technical and trades skills.

Yet, the demand for skilled trade positions continues to grow. The American Society of Civil Engineers recently graded American infrastructure at a D+. That means our roads and bridges across the country need vast repairs. Equally important, America needs the workers qualified to repair them.

As fewer students and college graduates see the value of working with their hands, the scarcity of trades skills only grows worse.

Senior Vice President of Mar- keting for IRWIN Tools Rich Mathews hit the nail on the head, "It's time we once again present the trades as a respectable career option for the next generation."

To acknowledge the need for skilled tradesmen and show gratitude for their invaluable work, IRWIN Tools is advocating for a day in September to honor and recognize our tradesmen -- National Tradesmen Day. This year, Sept. 20, 2013, will mark the third annual National Tradesmen Day in celebration of the hardworking men and women who build our homes and schools, keep the lights on and the clean water flowing.

"Becoming a trained plumber, electrician or welder offers a clear and stable career path where working with your hands allows you to contribute meaningfully to our society," says Mathews. "We need to once again treat people who lace up boots before heading to the job site with as much respect as those who tie polished wing tips and head to a high-rise office."

In a time where most high schools have stopped teaching shop class and only 6 percent of high school seniors consider a career in the trades, National Tradesmen Day focuses America's attention on the value of skilled tradesmen and the skills gap.

To thank skilled tradesmen on September 20, IRWIN will hold appreciation events across the U.S. to show support for the men and women who keep America run- ning. At job sites from Charlotte, N.C., to Chicago, and in New York City, IRWIN will show support for the men and women who keep our cities running -- including the tradesmen who built the newest peak of New York City's skyline, One World Trade Center.

For more information, visit www.nationaltradesmenday.com.