The CEO of the Mikeroweworks Foundation, Mike Rowe, joins “Varney & Co.” Discuss the growing trend of generation Z pursuing trade-based careers and why the United States needs more skilled workforce to support the economy.
Mike Rowe, known by many as the host of the popular program “Dirty Jobs” and the CEO of the MikeuweWorks Foundation, raises concerns concerning an increasing segment of the American population: men in their first years of work which are neither employed nor in search of work.
“There are valid men in their working age not only do not work, but not looking for,” said Rowe in an interview on “Varney & Co.” “For me, this is one of the greatest alarm ringtures in the country. We have never seen this before, not in peacetime anyway.”
Rowe underlined the search for the economist Nicholas Eberstadt in his book “Men Without Work”, which has long warned against the disturbing trend. According to Eberstadt, more than 7 million first-rate working-class men have completely abandoned the workforce.
Rowe thinks that this problem is aggravated by a cultural overestimation on traditional higher education, which, according to him, distances people from skilled trades, even if thousands of commercial jobs remain unparalleled.
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“Compare this to the open positions, then simply sprinkle $ 1.7 billion of student loans who are still exceptional,” said Rowe. “You can see that we always have our thumb on the scale.”
A study by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) supports Rowe’s concern. He found that the share of men born in the United States aged 16 to 64 who did not participate in the active population almost doubled in the past six decades, from 11.3% in 1960 to 22.1% in 2024.
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Industries such as manufacturing, the Maritime and the Automobile feel the impact, underlined Rowe, who has trouble fulfilling roles that require practical technical skills.
“We always push a lot of children to a very expensive path, while the gap of skills widens,” he added. “The skills gap is real, but there is also a difference in will.”
Rowe has long recommended vocational training and commercial careers as a viable and often more practical alternative to four -year diplomas. He highlights recent trends suggesting that young generations can start agreeing.
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“Four -year diplomas tend to drop into this cohort,” said Rowe, referring to generation Z. “There is much more interest for electricians, plumbers, steamfitters, welders and pipeters.”
Rowe maintains that this is not only promising, but essential to the country’s long -term economic health. He urges a cultural change: instead of putting pressure on each student in the college, society should encourage and support those who want to pursue qualified professions.
