BlackRock, Ford and Google join skilled trades training push

BlackRock, Carhartt, Ford Motor Company and Google announced a joint effort Tuesday to expand training for skilled trades, responding to a shortage the companies say could constrain infrastructure, manufacturing and data center development. The labor shift is occurring as undergraduate certificate and associate degree programs each grew by about 2% in fall 2025, while bachelor’s programs rose by less than 1%, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

The group, called the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades, plans to work with labor unions and trade associations, put money into apprenticeship programs and promote trade careers, according to a joint company release. The initiative is aimed at occupations including electrical work, technical roles and construction trades.

Bayo Ogunlesi, BlackRock’s chairman and chief executive officer of Global Infrastructure Partners, said in the release that infrastructure investment will influence the country’s long-term economic path, but that projects depend on the people able to build them. He said expanding the labor pipeline would require sustained cooperation across sectors.

Labor needs tied to infrastructure buildout

The companies are acting against a backdrop of rising demand for electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers and builders. The shortage has been linked largely to experienced tradespeople aging out of the workforce, a trend that has contributed to more openings and higher pay in several skilled occupations.

Demand is also connected to the physical investment required for artificial intelligence and other digital services. Data centers require large numbers of electricians, cooling specialists, builders and maintenance workers, even as some proposed projects have faced public opposition.

Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Alphabet and Google, said in the joint release that building U.S. physical infrastructure requires a much larger supply of skilled tradespeople across the country. Google is among the largest builders and operators of data centers.

JLL, the commercial real estate and investment management company, warned in an April research note that the shortage has become a constraint for facilities that support the broader economy. Paul Morgan, JLL’s global chief operating officer of real estate management services, said demand for skilled trades is accelerating while the available workforce is shrinking.

Morgan said the gap threatens the ability to power data centers, cool laboratories, secure manufacturing sites and maintain workplaces used by millions of Americans.

Education choices are shifting

The initiative also arrives as more students consider shorter, job-focused education paths. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported that certificate and associate degree enrollment outpaced bachelor’s degree growth in fall 2025.

A recent Lumina Foundation and Gallup poll found that confidence in a bachelor’s degree is declining, while two-year associate degrees are gaining support. Courtney Brown, Lumina Foundation’s chief data and research officer, said a four-year degree remains the “gold standard,” but added that community colleges are performing well on affordability and perceived value.

The white-collar labor market is facing its own pressure from artificial intelligence. Citrini Research, an investment research firm, said in a February report that fears of reduced corporate demand for office workers as AI improves are creating what it called a “negative feedback loop with no natural brake.”

The alliance has not disclosed financial commitments beyond its plan to invest in apprenticeships and coordinate with labor and industry groups. Its backers frame the effort as a workforce response to construction and infrastructure needs rather than a replacement for existing education pathways.

This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.