Skilled Trades Strengthen National Industrial Readiness

This analysis argues that US national security depends on skilled trades and that the defence industrial base cannot rapidly surge without people, training, and multiyear commitments. It cites the 2026 National Defence Strategy, notes China’s scale — roughly 230× US shipbuilding capacity, 87 vocational universities, 9,300+ secondary vocational schools and 34 million vocational students as of 2025 — and a 13% employment decline in AI‑exposed early‑career roles since 2022.