"The big picture: AI will jolt the white collar workforce. The scale of disruption is unclear, but early signs of it are underway: some white collar employers are re-thinking hiring needs as they adopt AI. At the same time, blue-collar trades will be more in demand, in part to build the hard assets necessary for the AI era."
""The infrastructure buildout is creating new demand for jobs in skilled trades, like electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers and more," Lawson writes - the "people with skills and training to design, construct, operate and maintain complex physical assets." On average,infrastructure-related jobs are projected to grow 5% in the next 10 years, a growth rate that outpaces the estimated 3% nationwide average over the same period, BlackRock says."
""[L]abor could be a potential constraint if the world cannot train workers quickly enough," the report says. The other side: Even as demand surges, the labor supply may fall short. A looming retirement wave is coming as demand rises for jobs disproportionatelyfilled by older workers."
The world needs roughly $85 trillion in new infrastructure over the next 15 years to support AI buildout, onshoring of manufacturing, and upgrades to aging systems. AI adoption is already reshaping white-collar hiring and will increase demand for physical assets, elevating need for blue-collar skilled trades such as electricians, HVAC technicians, and plumbers. Infrastructure-related jobs are projected to grow about 5% in the next decade versus a 3% nationwide average, a figure likely understated because AI-related infrastructure demand accelerated after 2024. Rising demand coincides with a potential labor shortfall as many current workers approach retirement.
Read at Axios
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