# The Collective Responsibility to Promote Skilled Trades: Why Society Needs to Highlight the Trades as a Respected Career Path

By Vince Holland · Published 2024-09-17 · Updated 2026-05-19 · Education Technology on MarketScale
Canonical: https://www.marketscale.com/industries/education-technology/collective-responsibility-to-promote-skilled-trades-career-path
Creator hub: Straight Outta Crumpton

> A severe workforce shortage is forcing industries to reconsider their perception of what constitutes a meaningful and lucrative career

## Key points

- A severe skilled trades workforce shortage is putting pressure on industries and the broader economy.
- Educational systems and parental perspectives play a significant role in steering young people away from trade careers.
- Organizations like Bring Back the Trades are using scholarships and public outreach to promote skilled trades as respected career options.

Block Field

Despite the common emphasis on college degrees as the primary route to success, skilled trades offer a crucial and undervalued pathway for career development. As industries report a severe skills shortage, the necessity for a [robust workforce of skilled laborers](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/tradespeople-wanted-the-need-for-critical-trade-skills-in-the-us) becomes undeniable. The [Bureau of Labor Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/fastest-declining-occupations.htm) highlights this urgency in its report on fast-declining occupations. Are skilled trades the underestimated backbone of our economy? How can we shift societal perceptions and promote skilled trades as a viable career option?

> Skilled trades offer a crucial and undervalued pathway for career development.

Join host [Greg Crumpton](https://www.linkedin.com/in/crumptonskilledtrades/) on [*Straight Outta Crumpton*](https://marketscale.com/shows/straight-outta-crumpton/) as he welcomes [**Steve Turner**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-turner-32756037/), the founder of [**Bring Back The Trades**](https://bringbackthetrades.org/). They dive into the essential role of trade in today’s economy and discuss innovative ways to promote and revitalize these crucial careers.

Highlights from the discussion:

- **Challenges in the Trades:** Addressing the current shortage of skilled tradespeople and the societal undervaluing of these essential careers.
- **Impact of Education on Trade Careers:** How educational systems and parental perspectives can promote skilled trades as respected career paths.
- **Future of the Trades:** Strategies to engage more young people and career changers in skilled trades through outreach, education, and incentives.

### About the Guest

**Steve Turner** is the founder of **Bring Back The Trades**, an organization dedicated to promoting skilled trades as a desirable career option. With a personal journey rooted in the trades, Turner has evolved from an apprentice to a successful entrepreneur in the upholstery business, now leveraging his experience to advocate for the trades through scholarships and public outreach.

Tags: Bring Back The Trades, Greg Crumpton, skilled trades shortage, Steve Turner, Straight Outta Crumpton

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