Previously, we talked about the growing skills gap – the difference between the number of skilled workers we have now and the number we’ll need as those workers retire and leave their jobs.

The problem is, we don’t have enough skilled workers to replace them. Part of that is due to a stigma about the trades. Another reason is that we are emphasizing college for everyone, even though many would benefit by going into a trade and earning great pay without a college degree.

But perhaps the biggest reason is the lack of training and education to provide enough new blood in industry to close the gap.

The Growing Need for Education

Our workers aren’t getting any younger.

The average age for a skilled tradesperson, such as a machinist, is 56 years old. The average age of someone working in manufacturing is 44 years old. The workforce we have is graying, and as they grow older and retire, young people will have to take their place.

Unfortunately, that’s just not happening – at least, not at a rate that will satisfy demand.

The problem starts in the schools. Vocational training used to be widely available, but it has dwindled in recent decades to nothing in many places. America’s industry needs more vocational training, starting as early as middle school and continuing through high school and even into post-secondary education like vocational schools, community colleges, and universities.

Technical Education magazine ran a piece in which industry pros were asked questions about the state of the workforce. Yonnie Leung, a senior manager in workforce development for Pacific Gas and Electric Company, said: “There’s less of a focus on technical education, both at the high school and community college level, and it’s our job as employers to get involved with that.”

Employers do need to become more involved – possibly by sponsoring training programs and curricula in schools – but it’s primarily a societal problem. We don’t put proper value on the trades, even though they’re crucial and irreplaceable.

At the end of the day, more education is needed to provide the right types of workers in the right numbers to our nation’s businesses.

What Companies Can Do

There are several things companies can do to help bridge the gap and promote more education.

Schools – especially at the middle and high school level – are often strapped for cash when it comes to creating new programs. Vocational programs require training equipment, instructors, materials, and other necessities in order to function. It’s not cheap, and there often isn’t room in school budgets for these programs.

By helping sponsor a program, a company can not only contribute to developing our young workers, but also develop a pipeline for talent in the future.

Companies can also lobby politicians and civic leaders for more funding for programs at all levels. Political pressure is one of the things that can create meaningful change for the industry. The more support that is shown at the higher levels of government, the more likely it is that actual progress is made in training and educating our upcoming generations and steering them toward the trades.

Finally, companies can invest in technical training solutions that are appealing to young students, as well as make learning trades easier and more efficient. Technology, as we discussed earlier, is one way to change perceptions, since millennials are attracted to technology in all its forms. Advanced training aides can be instrumental in attracting interest, as well as actually training workers to perform better.

Schools, at the end of the day, are where it starts. In order to keep our nation’s industries healthy well into the future, we need to start proliferating education early and often in our schools and colleges. Otherwise, the skills gap will be too great to overcome, to the detriment of us all.