BUILD YOUR FUTURE.
REBUILD AMERICA.

America’s manufacturing and national security future is at stake.

Join us for the first ever Build Freedom Summit.

America’s builders in the defense industrial base are coming together for two days of keynotes, case studies and discussion to address the urgent need for more advanced manufacturing and more skilled labor. Day three is a job fair where employers will connect young people with jobs, apprenticeships and training programs that are available now. Register today.

‍Career Expo — Thursday, October 22, 2026, 1–4 p.m.
‍
Galveston Island Convention Center, 5600 Seawall Blvd
Presented by the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership. Part of the inaugural Build Freedom Summit, Oct 20–22.

Closing America's Skills Gap, One Scholarship at a Time

The mikeroweWORKS Foundation, founded by skilled-trades advocate Mike Rowe, is on a mission to close America's growing skills gap by putting people on a path to essential, well-paying work. Through the largest trade scholarship program in the country, the Foundation has helped over 2,600 people train as electricians, welders, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and dozens of other in-demand trades—rewarding work ethic over GPA and proving you don't need a four-year degree to build a fulfilling, six-figure career. Beyond scholarships, mikeroweWORKS is changing the national conversation about the dignity and opportunity in the jobs that keep our country running.

Apply Here

We need to close the skills gap. Our freedom depends on it.

We want you. It’s your opportunity to get skilled, get paid and be part of something that matters to you, your family and your country. We need people – now – to build, repair, sustain and staff the skill sets our nation’s security depends on. It’s hands-on, high-paying, high-impact work. And it starts here, at BuildFreedom.US.

Find Jobs Find Training

Skilled tradesperson grinding metal — hands-on work that automation can't replace

AI-proof, six-figure jobs.

Earn big, no college degree required.

Mentor training a young apprentice on heavy equipment, building the next-generation workforce

Workforce ready in months, not years.

Train, learn, launch a career, while others are still in lecture halls.

Young technician in a green helmet and safety glasses inspecting aircraft engine components up close

College is one path. Here’s another.

Be paid to learn. Acquire skills that will launch you on a lifetime of prosperity.

FIND OUT WHERE THE JOBS ARE NEAR YOU.

Enter your zip code and pick a trade to see openings near you. Powered by National Labor Exchange.

ELECTRICIAN WELDER MACHINIST DIESEL MECHANIC PIPEFITTER SHIPBUILDER DEFENSE TECHNICIAN HVAC TECHNICIAN

Learn fast. Earn early.

We can connect you to scholarships and apprenticeships that will lead to real skills and real money in a rewarding career.

search here

The gap is huge. The opportunity is even bigger.

Search job openings near you. Powered by National Labor Exchange.

11,000

Americans reaching retirement age daily

320,000

Welding professionals needed by 2029

250,000

Maritime & shipbuilding workers needed next decade

81,000

Annual electrician job openings projected over the next decade

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Alliance for Lifetime Income; American Welding Society Foundation; U.S. Navy / NAVSEA; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

We are proud to partner with these top performers:

Department of War

mikeroweWORKS Foundation

National Labor Exchange

Pick a Trade. Build a Career.

Electrician

Wire ships, factories, and homes

Pay Range: $40K – $110K

Time to Start: 48 mo

Demand: High

Learn more

Welder

Build the steel backbone of America

Pay Range: $33K – $75K

Time to Start: 9 mo

Demand: Very High

Learn more

CNC Machinist

Machine the parts that defend America

Pay Range: $34K – $75K

Time to Start: 12 mo

Demand: Very High

Learn more

Shipbuilder

Build the Navy's fleet

Pay Range: $32K – $72K

Time to Start: 18 mo

Demand: Critical

Learn more

HVAC Technician

Keep the mission running

Pay Range: $36K – $84K

Time to Start: 12 mo

Demand: High

Learn more

Pipefitter

Run the pipe that runs the world

Pay Range: $38K – $108K

Time to Start: 60 mo

Demand: Very High

Learn more

Diesel Mechanic

Build what defends America

Pay Range: $36K – $80K

Time to Start: 24 mo

Demand: High

Learn more

Defense Technician

Move the mission. Sustain the fight.

Pay Range: $42K – $110K

Time to Start: 24 mo

Demand: High

Learn more

Common Questions (FAQ)

What is the highest-paying skilled trade?

Elevator installers, power-line workers and elite welders routinely clear $100,000 a year. Several trades pass $150,000 with overtime and specialization.

What trade makes $100,000 a year?

Electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, HVAC techs and industrial mechanics regularly hit six figures within a few years of certification.

Do I need college for a skilled trade?

No. Most trades are learned through paid apprenticeships or trade-school programs that take one to two years.

Are trade jobs AI-proof?

Hands-on trades – welding, electrical, mechanical, manufacturing – are among the hardest jobs to automate. Demand is rising, not falling.

How do I find an apprenticeship near me?

Start with our Apprenticeships hub or search by ZIP Code on the job board. Most apprenticeships pay a wage from day one.

MIKE ROWE AT THE DIB ACCELERATOR

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HARD. THAT'S THE POINT.

"Work smarter, not harder." That's the advice a whole generation grew up on, and it's backwards. The work that keeps this country running is hands-on, hard-won and in short supply. Mike Rowe on why that's exactly why it matters.

"It's supposed to be hard because the stakes are high. It's only a matter of national security."

— Mike

Find Jobs Find Training

Latest News

Two welders in protective helmets working with sparks flying as they weld metal in a workshop

Welders in Demand as Shipyards Expand

Major U.S. shipbuilders are doubling intake of certified welders to meet new defense contracts.

Three apprentices in hard hats and military uniforms training on heavy construction equipment

Apprenticeship Wages Hit Record Highs

Paid apprenticeships across the skilled trades are now starting above $22 an hour in many states.

Mike Rowe in a dark jacket listening intently during a conversation

Mike Rowe Scholarship Opens 2026 Round

My foundation has trades scholarship money available now.

Apply here today

Our mission is simple: build the workforce that builds and defends America. Our national and economic security depends on it. We will help power our nation’s defense industrial base and revive the skilled trades. We will be connecting the next generation of builders – the welders, machinists, mechanics, electricians, technicians and more – to high-wage, big-impact jobs. You can help us build freedom for generations to come.

BUILD YOUR FUTURE. REBUILD AMERICA.

America’s manufacturing and national security future is at stake.

Join us for the first ever Build Freedom Summit.

Closing America's Skills Gap, One Scholarship at a Time

We need to close the skills gap. Our freedom depends on it.

AI-proof, six-figure jobs.

Workforce ready in months, not years.

College is one path. Here’s another.

FIND OUT WHERE THE JOBS ARE NEAR YOU.

Learn fast. Earn early.

The gap is huge. The opportunity is even bigger.

11,000

320,000

250,000

81,000

We are proud to partner with these top performers:

Pick a Trade. Build a Career.

Electrician

Welder

CNC Machinist

Shipbuilder

HVAC Technician

Pipefitter

Diesel Mechanic

Defense Technician

Common Questions (FAQ)

What is the highest-paying skilled trade?

What trade makes $100,000 a year?

Do I need college for a skilled trade?

Are trade jobs AI-proof?

How do I find an apprenticeship near me?

MIKE ROWE AT THE DIB ACCELERATOR

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HARD. THAT'S THE POINT.

Latest News

Welders in Demand as Shipyards Expand

Apprenticeship Wages Hit Record Highs

Mike Rowe Scholarship Opens 2026 Round

BUILD YOUR FUTURE.
REBUILD AMERICA.