The paths to high-demand careers in the skilled trades

Employers in skilled trades, manufacturing, defense and maritime industries are hiring now—and Veteran experience often lines up perfectly with what they need. Many of these careers offer paid apprenticeships and on-the-job training, no four-year degree required. VA and the Department of Labor (DOL) are teaming up to make these paths easier to find.

Why it matters

The U.S. faces a long-term skilled labor shortage:

447,000 open construction jobs
94,000 open-skilled manufacturing jobs
174,000 more shipbuilding workers needed over the next decade

Two April 2025 executive orders made closing this gap a federal priority: one on preparing Americans for skilled trades, aiming to grow Registered Apprenticeships past 1 million participants, and one on restoring maritime dominance. Veterans’ technical training and discipline make them a natural fit.

The roundtable series

On June 9, VA launched a three-phase series of working sessions designed to turn employer insight into real referrals:

Transition and employment roundtable aligns stakeholders and sets shared goals
Employers and workforce partners expand apprenticeship and hiring pathways
Educators and training providers improve Veteran readiness and alignment

Insights feed directly into VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment program, as well as Transition, Education Service, and other referral channels.

A stronger partnership

VA works with DOL’s VETS program, its Employment Navigator and Partnership Program, and the DOL Employment and Training Administration to connect Veterans to apprenticeships and hiring events, linking VA’s counseling and benefits to DOL’s national employer network. This effort requires a collaborative approach with other federal agencies, non-profits and other organizations to meet the needs of Veterans entering these high demand fields.

What’s next?

Early priorities include smoother handoffs between VA and the Department of Defense, greater use of SkillBridge, expanded employer networks and better communication. Future sessions will turn these into concrete commitments.

Get started!

More tools, resources and fact sheets to come, enabling Veterans to obtain jobs in high demand fields to include defense industrial base with efforts such as the Project Patriot Pipeline under Department of Defense.