Television host and workforce advocate Mike Rowe announced that the scholarship program he founded to train the next generation of skilled workers has received a donation from BlackRock in its effort to help close America’s skilled trades gap.
During last month’s BlackRock 2026 Infrastructure Summit, the asset management giant announced it will deploy $100 million over the next five years to support workforce development programs nationwide.
The initiative aims to reach approximately 50,000 workers through expanded apprenticeships, training pipelines, and wraparound support such as financial education.
Rowe said a “modest” portion of that funding will go toward his foundation, the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, which provides scholarships and advocacy for careers in the skilled trades.
Last year, when Wells Fargo offered to support mikeroweWORKS in a meaningful way, I realized that something fundamental had changed. This was the first time a big company that didn’t directly employ skilled workers had offered to help us train the next…
— The Real Mike Rowe (@mikeroweworks) March 23, 2026
Rowe, who spoke alongside corporate leaders and policymakers at the summit, described the commitment as a turning point.
“This is the way forward,” he wrote in a social media post.
Rowe’s scholarship program has become a central piece of his campaign to reframe how Americans view work. Since its founding in 2008, the mikeroweWORKS Foundation has awarded more than $16 million and helped over 3,500 individuals pursue training in fields like welding, plumbing, and electrical work.
This year, the organization has set aside an additional $10 million to support new applicants, Rowe said.
Rowe noted how BlackRock’s effort also reflects a broader shift in corporate involvement, following earlier backing from Wells Fargo, which Rowe said was one of the first major financial institutions to support his foundation despite not directly employing trade workers itself.
The longtime host of “Dirty Jobs” has argued that the skills gap stems from decades of cultural messaging that elevated four-year degrees while sidelining vocational education. That shift, he says, contributed to soaring student debt and millions of unfilled jobs that do not require a college degree.
With demand for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence, energy, and data systems expected to surge, Rowe warned that the shortage of skilled labor is becoming increasingly urgent.
“The current shortage of electricians, plumbers, welders, and linemen, is already acute, and it’s about to become critical. Soon, it will become a matter of national security,” he stressed.
Rowe said by pairing increased funding with efforts to change public perception, he believes more Americans will pursue careers in the trades.
“More companies need to support the people and programs that are training the next generation,” he said, expressing hope that BlackRock’s latest investment will encourage others to follow.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Mike Rowe” by mikeroweWORKS.
