Following a recent career spotlight, Ignacio Duron, CEO of Most Valuable Plumber, is highlighting the urgent need for increased support of skilled trades education and mentorship to address a growing workforce crisis. Duron emphasizes that realistic career exposure and community-based guidance are essential to attract young people to hands-on professions facing significant staffing shortages.
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the skilled trades sector is confronting a substantial workforce gap, with projections indicating more than 500,000 plumbing and construction roles will remain unfilled by the end of the decade due to retirements and insufficient new entrants. This shortage coincides with rising infrastructure demands in major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, creating potential bottlenecks for essential services and development projects.
"A lot of people talk about success without talking about the work behind it," Duron stated. "Trades show you how effort, patience, and problem-solving come together in real life." His own career trajectory—from hands-on plumbing work in North Hollywood to leading a family-run business serving Los Angeles County—embodies the practical career path he believes is often overlooked in contemporary career discussions.
Duron identifies mentorship and youth engagement as critical, yet underutilized, tools for developing the future workforce. He points to research from the Aspen Institute showing that participation in organized sports correlates with the development of leadership skills, confidence, and persistence—traits that translate directly to professional success. "Coaching kids taught me that growth takes time," Duron explained. "You don't rush it. You show up, stay consistent, and let people learn through experience."
Rather than advocating for large-scale institutional programs, Duron encourages individuals to take personal initiative within their communities. His recommendations include having open conversations with young people about hands-on careers, inviting them to observe real work environments, volunteering as coaches or mentors, and sharing practical skills at home. "You don't need a big platform to help someone," he noted. "Sometimes just showing how real work gets done can change how someone sees their future."
For business and technology leaders, Duron's call to action presents both a challenge and an opportunity. The skilled trades workforce shortage represents a systemic risk to infrastructure maintenance, construction timelines, and economic stability. However, community-driven solutions focused on mentorship and practical exposure offer a scalable model for talent development that could be applied beyond the trades to other technical fields facing similar recruitment challenges. The emphasis on experiential learning and persistence aligns with broader educational trends valuing applied skills and resilience, suggesting that addressing this gap requires rethinking traditional career pathways and support systems.
