WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of War is committing $10 million to the mikeroweWORKS Foundation as part of a new workforce initiative aimed at addressing labor shortages across the U.S. defense industrial base, where manufacturers and contractors face persistent shortages of skilled trades workers.
The funding, to be presented by Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael P. Duffey to skilled trades advocate Mike Rowe, will support scholarships for workers pursuing training in high-demand trades tied to defense manufacturing and industrial production.
The investment launches BuildFreedom.US, a workforce development initiative created through the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program. The initiative seeks to expand the pipeline of workers entering skilled trades through partnerships among government agencies, industry and educational institutions.
“Every penny will be spent on training the next generation of skilled workers for a long list of essential jobs — specifically the hundreds of thousands of good jobs currently open in the defense industrial base,” said Mike Rowe, chief executive of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation.
Rowe described the shortage of skilled labor as a national security issue, saying initiatives such as BuildFreedom.US are needed to meet the workforce demands of a changing economy.
Defense manufacturers have increasingly warned that labor shortages are constraining production capacity as the United States seeks to expand domestic manufacturing and strengthen supply chains supporting military readiness.
Duffey said the initiative is intended to connect workers with careers in manufacturing and industrial trades while preparing the workforce for future defense needs.
The Department of War said the program will target students, young adults, veterans and transitioning service members, with the broader goal of strengthening U.S. manufacturing capacity and long-term economic resilience.
Additional information about the initiative is available at BuildFreedom.US.
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