"Work smarter, not harder." That's the advice a whole generation grew up on, and it's backwards. The work that keeps this country running is hands-on, hard-won and in short supply. Mike Rowe on why that's exactly why it matters.
"It's supposed to be hard because the stakes are high. It's only a matter of national security."
— Mike
The mikeroweWORKS Foundation, founded by skilled-trades advocate Mike Rowe, is on a mission to close America's growing skills gap by putting people on a path to essential, well-paying work. Through the largest trade scholarship program in the country, the Foundation has helped over 2,600 people train as electricians, welders, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and dozens of other in-demand trades—rewarding work ethic over GPA and proving you don't need a four-year degree to build a fulfilling, six-figure career. Beyond scholarships, mikeroweWORKS is changing the national conversation about the dignity and opportunity in the jobs that keep our country running.
We want you. It’s your opportunity to get skilled, get paid and be part of something that matters to you, your family and your country. We need people – now – to build, repair, sustain and staff the skill sets our nation’s security depends on. It’s hands-on, high-paying, high-impact work. And it starts here, at BuildFreedom.US.
Earn big, no college degree required.
Train, learn, launch a career, while others are still in lecture halls.
Be paid to learn. Acquire skills that will launch you on a lifetime of prosperity.
Enter your zip code and pick a trade to see openings near you. Powered by National Labor Exchange.
We can connect you to scholarships and apprenticeships that will lead to real skills and real money in a rewarding career.
search hereSearch job openings near you. Powered by National Labor Exchange.
Americans reaching retirement age daily
Welding professionals needed by 2029
Maritime & shipbuilding workers needed next decade
Annual electrician job openings projected over the next decade
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Alliance for Lifetime Income; American Welding Society Foundation; U.S. Navy / NAVSEA; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Department of War
mikeroweWORKS Foundation
National Labor Exchange
Wire ships, factories, and homes
Pay Range: $40K – $110K
Time to Start: 48 mo
Demand: High
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Build the steel backbone of America
Pay Range: $33K – $75K
Time to Start: 9 mo
Demand: Very High
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Machine the parts that defend America
Pay Range: $34K – $75K
Time to Start: 12 mo
Demand: Very High
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Build the Navy's fleet
Pay Range: $32K – $72K
Time to Start: 18 mo
Demand: Critical
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Keep the mission running
Pay Range: $36K – $84K
Time to Start: 12 mo
Demand: High
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Run the pipe that runs the world
Pay Range: $38K – $108K
Time to Start: 60 mo
Demand: Very High
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Build what defends America
Pay Range: $36K – $80K
Time to Start: 24 mo
Demand: High
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Move the mission. Sustain the fight.
Pay Range: $42K – $110K
Time to Start: 24 mo
Demand: High
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Elevator installers, power-line workers and elite welders routinely clear $100,000 a year. Several trades pass $150,000 with overtime and specialization.
Electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, HVAC techs and industrial mechanics regularly hit six figures within a few years of certification.
No. Most trades are learned through paid apprenticeships or trade-school programs that take one to two years.
Hands-on trades – welding, electrical, mechanical, manufacturing – are among the hardest jobs to automate. Demand is rising, not falling.
Start with our Apprenticeships hub or search by ZIP Code on the job board. Most apprenticeships pay a wage from day one.
Major U.S. shipbuilders are doubling intake of certified welders to meet new defense contracts.
Read more
Paid apprenticeships across the skilled trades are now starting above $22 an hour in many states.
Read more
My foundation has trades scholarship money available now.
Apply here today
Watch college teams forge and battle-test legendary steel weapons in the new season of Cast in Steel, dropping on YouTube July 9th.
Watch here
Our mission is simple: build the workforce that builds and defends America. Our national and economic security depends on it. We will help power our nation’s defense industrial base and revive the skilled trades. We will be connecting the next generation of builders – the welders, machinists, mechanics, electricians, technicians and more – to high-wage, big-impact jobs. You can help us build freedom for generations to come.
Contact usIn partnership with mikeroweWORKS Foundation, National Labor Exchange and the Department of War.
