There is something special about watching a skilled craftsman at work. Whether it's a welder joining two pieces of steel, a mechanic keeping equipment running or a construction crew putting up a new building, these are the men and women who quite literally build our state.

Their work takes skill, dedication and pride. And as Arkansas continues to grow, we will need more of them.

A new national report from Ford Motor Co., developed in partnership with Google, Carhartt and BlackRock, puts numbers behind what Arkansas employers already know. Across the country, an estimated 1.7 million skilled-trades job openings will need to be filled each year through 2035.

Here in Arkansas, the findings tell an interesting story. Our skilled-trades workforce grew 6 percent between 2019 and 2025, adding roughly 11,000 workers and ranking 16th nationally for growth.

Arkansas is outpacing many states in bringing people into the trades, ranking in the 68th percentile for new workers.

That's encouraging news. More Arkansans are recognizing the value of these careers, and our efforts to introduce people to skilled work are........

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