"It's harder to recruit for some of these skilled trades than it is for computer programmers now," he said. Kennedy said another assumption being reexamined about working in skilled trades is the alleged cap on career growth and the risk of physical burnout. One-Two PunchWhen it comes to rebuilding America's skilled labor force, there are two major factors converging. On one hand, there are millions of trade workers planning to retire through 2032. Concurrently, a Randstad analysis showed the need for skilled labor in the United States is escalating due to the data center boom.