The Skilled Trades Need People. WyoTech Is Helping Build the Next Generation.

There is no shortage of work waiting to be done in America’s skilled trades. The shortage is the people trained and ready to do it.

I recently sat down with Cindy Barlow, Director of Industry Relations at WyoTech, for a conversation about the growing demand for skilled workers in automotive, diesel, collision, welding, manufacturing and other technical fields. What became clear very quickly is that this isn’t simply a recruiting challenge anymore. For many employers, it has become a serious workforce problem.

“The panic button has been pushed,” Barlow said.

From her position at WyoTech, Barlow regularly talks with employers across Wyoming and throughout the country who are looking for qualified technicians. She shared examples of companies contacting her looking for hundreds, even a thousand, potential employees at a time.

The demand can also be seen on WyoTech’s campus in Laramie. Barlow said the school holds a career fair every quarter, typically bringing in approximately 100 to 110 employers from across the country. Some travel a long way for the opportunity to meet students.

“The fact that we can get employers from Hawaii coming over to visit our campus in Laramie, Wyoming, tells me that geographically, recruiting has no boundaries right now,” she said.

Rethinking What Success Looks Like

For decades, many students have been encouraged to believe that success automatically means attending a traditional two- or four-year college. Barlow believes families need to broaden that conversation.

College is still the right path for many careers, she explained, but technical education should be viewed as another legitimate option rather than a lesser one.

Instead of beginning with Where are you going to college?, Barlow suggested families start by asking young people what they enjoy doing, what they are naturally good at and what kind of education will help them turn those abilities into a career.

At WyoTech, students train in areas including automotive, diesel, collision and welding, along with specialty programs. Barlow said students can complete WyoTech’s primary training path in about nine months and begin entering the workforce.

But technical ability is only part of what WyoTech emphasizes.

Students are expected to show up on time, maintain professional standards and treat their school day much like a workday. The school also works with students on communication, resumes, interviewing and other “soft skills” employers expect.

Employers Have a Role Too

One of the most interesting parts of our conversation was Barlow’s belief that solving the shortage cannot fall entirely on schools or students.

Employers have to participate.

She encouraged businesses to become involved with technical schools, high-school shop programs, SkillsUSA, FFA and other career-education programs. That could mean serving on an advisory board, donating equipment, providing tools, helping with scholarships or simply spending time in a classroom explaining what opportunities exist.

For an employer wondering why that investment matters, Barlow’s point was simple: relationships create a workforce pipeline.

A student who learns on an engine donated by a particular company may remember that company years later when deciding where to work.

And once young technicians are hired, employers need to recognize that graduation does not mean someone knows everything on their first day.

“Don’t give them a job, give them an opportunity to grow,” Barlow said.

That may be one of the most important pieces of solving the shortage.

Employers need experienced technicians immediately, but entry-level employees still need mentoring, development and a clear picture of where their career can take them. Barlow believes businesses that show young employees a path forward will have a better opportunity to retain them.

A Generation Willing to Work… Differently

Barlow also pushed back on the common assumption that younger workers simply don’t want to work.

She pointed to more than 800 students on the WyoTech campus at the time of our conversation who are preparing to enter industry.

What has changed, she said, is how younger workers think about the relationship between their career and the rest of their life. Many are willing to work hard but also place greater importance on having a life outside of work.

Rather than dismissing that difference, Barlow believes employers need to understand it and learn how to communicate with the next generation.

That communication goes both directions. Young technicians need to learn how to speak with supervisors, address concerns professionally and build a reputation for reliability. Employers need to listen, mentor and provide opportunities for advancement.

It Starts With a Conversation

For parents and grandparents wondering what they can do, Barlow’s advice was straightforward: start with your own family.

Ask young people what they enjoy. Pay attention to what they are good at. Talk openly about welding, automotive technology, diesel mechanics and other trades as real career opportunities.

Families can also help through scholarships and by supporting organizations that provide technical education.

Businesses can invest in schools, equipment and students.

And communities can help change the perception that there is only one acceptable path after high school.

The skilled-worker shortage will not be solved overnight. But after talking with Cindy Barlow, one thing is clear: there are young people ready to learn, employers desperate to find them, and an enormous opportunity to bring the two together.

Sometimes solving the workforce problem begins with something as simple as showing a young person that working with their hands, learning a trade and becoming exceptionally good at it can lead to a remarkable career.