A Step in the Right Direction for American Tradesmen This new government...

A Step in the Right Direction for American Tradesmen

This new government program to encourage apprenticeships is a good step in the right direction. America needs more skilled tradesmen to maintain the infrastructure that keeps us living at a first-world level. Without them, our standards of living collapse.

But there are deeper reforms needed if we want the trades to flourish again.

1. End non-native labor competition. We must stop the flood of non-native labor that undercuts wages and steals opportunities from local workers. Deporting that competition will raise rates for skilled American tradesmen and restore dignity to the work.

2. Raise standards of workmanship. We need to raise the standards we expect from tradesmen themselves. Due to the influx of low-skilled and untrained labor posing as tradesmen, the quality of housing construction has collapsed in the last fifteen years. The result has been unsafe homes, mold infestations, and devastating financial losses for new buyers, especially hard in an already overinflated housing market. High standards protect families, but they also protect tradesmen. They reward the most skilled, encourage the less conscientious to rise toward mastery, and prevent contractors from pressuring tradesmen to cut corners. No tradesman should ever be forced to compromise his judgment and sacrifice quality just to save costs.

3. Reform work conditions and retirement. Most tradesmen work far more hours than a typical full-time job. When I worked in the trades, sixty hours a week was normal. It is not simply the tough conditions but the sheer number of hours that makes this unsustainable. Tradesmen should have the option of retiring younger or shifting to teaching roles.

4. Improve apprenticeship systems. We could learn much from European apprenticeship programs. They do not only teach the trade itself, but also how to preserve your body while working, how to move with efficiency, and how to reduce injuries and exhaustion. Grace and longevity are treated as part of mastery.

5. Elevate mastery. We must recognize how complex and technologically advanced the trades have become. A modern carpenter is not just a man swinging a hammer. He must understand UV-cured finishes, the chemistry of stains, the expansion and contraction of wood, and the physics of loads. A true master does not simply repeat tasks, he understands the job as a whole, manages the site, corrects architectural errors, and ensures the project is completed despite obstacles. Our goal must be to create more masters, not just more laborers.

6. Simplify taxation. Taxation must be radically simplified, especially for small businesses and the self-employed. Imagine working twelve hours with your body and then having to come home to spend hours fighting through paperwork before you can rest. That is no way to keep skilled men in the trades.

7. Restore cultural honor. A culture that glorifies digital fads and looks down on builders is a culture in decline. Tradesmen are the backbone of civilization. They deserve not only fair pay, but recognition as the stewards of the built world that we all depend on.

If we truly want to rebuild the trades, we must:

• End non-native labor competition.
• Raise standards of workmanship.
• Shorten hours and allow earlier retirement.
• Adopt apprenticeship models that teach longevity, not just mechanics.
• Elevate mastery as the standard.
• Simplify taxation for small businesses.
• Restore cultural honor to the men who build.

Do these things, and America will not just have more tradesmen, it will have stronger tradesmen, masters who can carry the weight of a civilization.