A coming wave of investment and innovation is about to collide with a workforce that may not be ready for it. That is the warning from Mike Rowe, CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, who appeared on FOX Business' "Varney & Co." to discuss what he sees as one of the most significant labor market shifts in modern American history.
Rowe joined host Stuart Varney to discuss how rapid technological change and a persistent shortage of skilled labor are converging at a critical moment. He pointed to a surge in demand for skilled trades and warned that the scale of the coming buildout — tied to trillions of dollars in investment — will test whether the U.S. workforce is prepared.
According to Fox Business, in a notable moment, Rowe said he finds common ground with an unlikely political figure. "I actually agree with Bernie Sanders. ... I think we're on the cusp of a revolution unlike anything we've ever seen," Rowe said during his appearance.
The issue has sparked debate from both sides of the political aisle. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has also pointed to mounting pressure on workers and a changing economic landscape, framing the current moment as one of major disruption. Meanwhile, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders have been ramping up a push for AI regulation tied to data center concerns.
Where Rowe and Sanders likely diverge is on the solution. For Rowe, the answer isn't more government intervention — it's a cultural and economic realignment toward the trades. He sees opportunity where others see crisis. And for those who believe in the power of free markets, Rowe's framing is far more productive.
Rather than calling for sweeping regulation or top-down policy fixes, Rowe is making the case that the market itself is already sending the right signals. The question is whether Americans — especially younger ones — are listening.
Rowe described a "renaissance" emerging for the skilled trades. "This new era is going to be a renaissance for electricians, steamfitters, pipefitters, welders, CNC operators," he said. These are the workers who will physically build out the infrastructure that new technologies require.
That buildout is tied to trillions of dollars in investment, according to Rowe. Whether it's data centers, energy infrastructure, or advanced manufacturing, the demand for people who can work with their hands is surging. The market is moving — fast — and it needs workers who can keep up.
Rowe noted that electricians in some parts of the country are already commanding salaries that rival or exceed those of many white-collar roles. Employers, he suggested, are competing aggressively for a limited pool of workers. This is textbook supply and demand, and it's pushing wages up in trades that were long overlooked.
For decades, American culture has steered young people toward four-year degrees, often at great expense and with diminishing returns. The result is a massive imbalance: too many graduates chasing too few knowledge-economy jobs, while skilled trades go understaffed. The labor market doesn't care about your diploma — it cares about what you can do.
This is where Rowe's message becomes genuinely actionable. If trillions of dollars are flowing into physical buildout, the wealth-building opportunity for tradespeople is enormous. A young welder or pipefitter entering the workforce today could be positioned far better financially than a peer burdened with six figures of student debt and a degree in a saturated field. Separately, Mackenzie Price, co-founder and CEO of Alpha Schools, joined "Mornings with Maria" to discuss how AI-driven learning platforms are customizing education for individual students. These innovations are reshaping classrooms, reducing costs, and reimagining what schooling could look like in the years ahead.
The broader lesson here is one that free-market advocates have championed for generations. When you let prices and wages communicate information freely, people respond. Workers move toward higher pay. Businesses invest in training. The invisible hand works — if government doesn't get in its way.
The risk, of course, is that policymakers will respond to this moment with heavy-handed regulation or misguided subsidies that distort the very signals Rowe is describing. The push by Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez to regulate AI and data center development could slow the investment Rowe is counting on. Good intentions don't build power grids — skilled workers and capital do.
For investors and workers alike, the takeaway is clear: pay attention to where capital is flowing and what skills are in demand. The coming transformation of the American workforce is not a distant forecast. It is already underway, and those who position themselves on the right side of it — whether through career choices, training, or investments in the trades — stand to benefit enormously.