Skilled-trade vacancies surge as employers offer six-figure salaries to attract workers
Employers in aviation, construction and electrical fields are struggling to fill positions, prompting wages that can exceed $90,000 a year.
A growing shortage of qualified workers in sectors such as aviation maintenance, construction and electrical work is driving employers to raise pay. A McKinsey & Company analysis forecasts a deficit of about 60,000 aviation technicians by 2029, while the National Association of Home Builders projects a need for 2.2 million construction workers over the next three years. Salary data from Technicians of America show skilled-trade roles now paying between $60,000 and $90,000 annually. The trend is illustrated by Otavius Jackson, a student at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, who discovered the career through an Instagram ad and is nearing graduation.
Why it matters
The widening skilled-trade gap threatens project timelines and raises labor costs, affecting the broader economy.
In this story
