Business
The real problem gripping rural America and the jobs of the future
America’s AI future won’t be stopped by China, energy shortages, or a lack of investment. It will be stopped by a lack of workers.
That reality hit hard at the Energy & Innovation Summit in Pittsburgh last month, hosted by Senator Dave McCormick, Carnegie Mellon President Farnam Jahanian, and a remarkable roster of business executives, industry leaders, and federal cabinet secretaries. Pennsylvania sits at the center of this future—with the Marcellus Shale, leading universities, and advanced manufacturing hubs powering some of the nation’s most ambitious energy projects.
While headlines celebrated $90 billion in new private investment for energy and data infrastructure, they missed the bigger story: the federal government is finally cutting the red tape holding back $1 trillion in stalled projects—but we don’t have enough workers to build them.
The story extends far beyond Pittsburgh. Across rural counties from Appalachia to the Midwest, new data centers, logistics hubs, and energy projects are breaking ground—only to run into the same roadblock: too few workers to get the job done. The U.S. faces a projected shortfall of 6 million workers over the next decade. Lightcast data shows there are currently 1 million job openings in construction, manufacturing, transportation and warehousing. Even worse, 24 million people in today’s labor force are over 60 and nearing retirement, with significant portions of these industries aging rapidly, creating a dangerously thin talent pipeline just as demand surges.
The shortages are twofold. In rural regions, unfilled roles in construction, health care, transportation, and warehousing make up nearly one in four postings, threatening to stall the very projects driving America’s growth. At the same time, the AI economy is opening new doors: more than 15% of IT and computer science postings are remote, proving that millions of high-value digital jobs can be done from anywhere. Together, these realities point to a future where America’s workforce must be both locally rooted and digitally connected.
Mike Rowe, founder of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, told me:
“The future of AI demands that we reinvigorate the skilled trades – immediately – and close America’s skills gap. If we can’t build it, wire it, and maintain it, we can’t have it.”
He also reminded the audience in Pennsylvania:
“We took shop class out of high school and convinced a whole generation they needed a four-year degree to succeed no matter the cost. That was a big mistake. Welding, plumbing, and electrical work aren’t just viable—they’re vital. And the shortages in those fields are acute.”
Returning to year-2000 participation rates could add millions of workers—but Lightcast analysis projects that by 2033, the number of young people entering the workforce will drop by 2 million. Raising participation in rural counties alone could add hundreds of thousands of new workers, directly strengthening the talent base for energy, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing.
So, who will build America’s AI future?
The blueprint: America talent strategy
If we’re serious about closing this gap, we need more than good intentions—we need a system that runs on hard, current, and shared data. The August 12th announcement of the America Talent Strategy offers a five-pillar framework to align industry, education, and workforce systems for the AI era.
At the heart of that system is a dynamic, shared skills language—a living dataset that reflects what employers actually need, week by week, across industries and regions. Without it, businesses can’t clearly signal demand, educators can’t adapt fast enough, and workers can’t see the path forward. For rural communities, this skills language is even more critical: it not only makes middle-skill jobs visible but also connects workers to remote and hybrid careers, allowing them to contribute to the AI economy without leaving their hometowns.
This isn’t theory. Lightcast created the universal standard for skills. In Texas, a statewide job-matching platform built on this common skills language now connects residents directly to in-demand careers, actively bridging the gap in middle-skill jobs, which make up 56% of employment while only 45% of the labor force is trained to fill them. In Prince George’s County, our real-time labor market data helped increase job placements by more than 70 percent. These examples show what happens when the “skills market” becomes visible: people and programs move faster, and results follow.
That’s the difference between a plan on paper and a workforce that’s ready for what’s next. Dynamic, proven skills data makes the Talent Strategy’s pillars—i. industry alignment, ii. worker mobility, iii. integrated systems, iv. accountability, and v. innovation—work in the real world.
Hidden gems: community college and trade schools
The infrastructure is there—Lightcast data shows that over 1,300 U.S. institutions offer skilled trade programs capable of training a minimum of one million new entrants over the next five years. Many of these community colleges are rural anchors, often the largest local employers themselves, and they are positioned to train the next generation of AI-enabled workers if they receive the funding and recognition they deserve. Apprenticeships can help fill the gap, and the federal government is finally cutting the red tape holding them back.
Countries like Germany have proven that skilled tradespeople can be exceptionally trained, well-paid, and highly respected. With the right execution of the Talent Strategy—powered by real-time skills intelligence—we can do the same here, faster.
Rowe adds a reminder:
“A renaissance in the skilled trades requires an underlying appreciation for the work itself. We have to show kids that a skilled tradesperson is no less valued than a graduate from the Ivy League. More so, even.”
Workers wanted: honor the work and the worker
The mikeroweWORKS Foundation has long advocated for honoring blue-collar work. Together with Lightcast, they are calling for a Presidential Workforce Medal of Honor to celebrate those unlocking the power of America’s workers.
That work may involve more robotics, software, and AI-enabled tools—but all the money, energy, and chips in the world can’t make America great without the Great American Worker: AI-enabled, robot-powered, and ready to swing a hammer. Increasingly, those workers are just as likely to be rural welders, electricians, or coders logging in from small towns as they are urban professionals.
As Rowe puts it:
“Technology alone didn’t build America—skilled tradespeople did. The future is in their hands, right where it’s always been.”
Without bold action on workforce development, the $90 billion investment risks stalling. But if we give workers the data, training, and recognition they deserve, we can fill millions of unfilled jobs and prevent workforce shortages from paralyzing America’s future.
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.
