'Dirty Jobs' host Mike Rowe: We have become untethered from the definition of work

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"The skills gap is so real right now," the "Dirty Jobs" creator and host said in a new episode of the Power Players with Brian Sozzi podcast (video above; listen in below).

He added, "There's $10 trillion in infrastructure coming, and we do not have the skilled workers to make it happen …. We have come untethered from a definition of work that used to be universally agreed upon. And if we don't sort that out, I'm afraid we're just going to keep pushing the boulder up the hill."

Rowe is the ultimate advocate for America's skilled trades. Best known for hosting the smash-hit Discovery Channel series "Dirty Jobs," Rowe built a career highlighting the grittiest corners of our workforce.

Now, through his MikeroweWORKS Foundation , he's solving the skills gap head-on by funding millions in vocational scholarships, creating what he calls the AI-proof career pipeline for next-generation plumbers, welders, and electricians.

The foundation has distributed over $11 million to support more than 1,800 recipients nationwide.

This year, Rowe scaled his operational footprint by securing a $10 million partnership with the US Department of Defense to launch the Build Freedom Initiative, aimed at rebuilding the country's domestic defense manufacturing workforce.

The essential economy — which includes construction, utilities, agriculture, transportation, oil and gas, and equipment manufacturing — accounts for $12 trillion of the gross domestic product, 95 million jobs, and 3 million businesses.

This area of the economy continues to experience labor shortages as older workers age out and Gen Z views jobs such as loading trains as too demanding. Meanwhile, some existing workers lack the skills to stay current as AI becomes embedded throughout the supply chain.

According to a PRT Staffing survey, 17.4% of manufacturing companies report worker shortages. PRT projects that 3.8 million manufacturing jobs will need to be filled over the next decade.

"You got $1.7 trillion in outstanding student debt. You've got 6.9 million guys who have checked out of the workforce. You have 7.6 million open jobs that don't require a four-year degree. And we're still lending money," Rowe said of the current problem.

There's a generation saddled with debt while being trained for jobs that no longer exist, he added. "That's the problem in a nutshell."

Brian Sozzi is Yahoo Finance's Executive Editor, host of the ' Power Players With Brian Sozzi' podcast and a member of Yahoo Finance's editorial leadership team. Follow Sozzi on X @BrianSozzi , Instagram , and LinkedIn . Tips on stories? Email brian.sozzi@yahoofinance.com.

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