【Epoch Times August 22, 2026】BlackRock, the world’s largest multinational asset management company headquartered in New York, launched its first nationwide request for proposal (RFP) on June 1st through its $100 million BlackRock Foundation charity initiative. The initiative aims to support the training and development of skilled tradespeople and technical talent in the United States to promote economic growth.
As of Thursday, the project named “BlackRock Future Builders” has received thousands of applications, totaling more than $9 billion in funding requests, highlighting the market demand for skilled trades and opportunities for individual career development.
During the 6-week application period from June 1st to July 10th, applications from all 50 states and the District of Columbia included various occupations such as HVAC technicians, electricians, plumbers, welders, pipefitters, and steelworkers. The company is set to announce the funding recipients in October.
Project manager John Kelly stated that feedback from various states revealed a serious challenge: “The demand for skilled tradespeople exceeds the capacity of the current training systems.”
The company believes that the United States faces an unprecedented opportunity to build the next generation of critical infrastructure, with an estimated investment of $20 trillion for modernizing outdated infrastructure. To seize this opportunity, a workforce with corresponding skills is needed to be responsible for designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining infrastructure. It is estimated that by 2030, there will be a shortage of 2.1 million technical trades positions.
Four leading U.S. companies from different fields – BlackRock, Carhartt, Ford Motor Company, and Google – announced last month the establishment of the “Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades” to expand the coverage of technical worker training and meet the growing demand.
Skilled trades may include construction trades (carpenters, plumbers, electricians), HVAC and energy technicians, welding and manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, automotive and electric vehicle (EV) technicians, data center and infrastructure-related trades, among others.
1. Establishing a talent pool of technical workers to give more Americans the opportunity to engage with and understand the industry. Increasing public awareness, providing clear and convenient pathways into the industry, allowing more people to transition into fields that are more stable, higher-paying, offer long-term growth, and bring economic benefits to communities.
2. Investing in apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs to create opportunities for hands-on learning, enabling individuals to obtain high-paying careers without a college degree, promoting evidence-based workforce development models. These programs can help more American workers acquire critical new skills and economic mobility.
3. Expanding partnerships by collaborating with like-minded industries, labor, education, and nonprofit organizations to benefit more workers and communities nationwide.
Why Major Corporations Support:
Bayo Ogunlesi, Chairman, and CEO of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a subsidiary of BlackRock, stated, “Investing in American infrastructure will help shape the long-term economic development trajectory of the United States, and a skilled workforce is the key to success, expanding the talent pipeline requires long-term commitment and cooperation across industries.”
Linda Hubbard, President, and CEO of Carhartt, said, “For 137 years, Carhartt has been proud to serve skilled workers who build, maintain, and keep America running. We are honored to collaborate with like-minded organizations, raise awareness of the tech industry, and open up more meaningful career paths, thereby strengthening families, communities, and economic prowess.”
Jim Farley, President, and CEO of Ford Motor Company expressed, “At Ford, we recognize that the shortage of skilled trades is both a national crisis and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Skilled trades are at the core of what we call the ‘basic economy,’ representing 95 million Americans who build, transport, and maintain the various supplies our nation relies on daily.”
Ruth Porat, CEO, and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google, stated, “Building the infrastructure for America’s future requires a significant increase in the number of technical workers nationwide; this challenge can only be addressed through collective action, and Google is honored to support the formation of the Alliance for America’s Skill Trades.” ◇