In Salena Zito’s Townhall article today, Mike Rowe’s 16-year mission to promote skilled trades over traditional college paths gains spotlight. Alex Bambino, a 21-year-old welder from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, embodies Rowe’s vision. Son of educators, Bambino rejected college, choosing hands-on work at JWF Defense Systems (formerly Bethlehem Steel), crafting parts for military vehicles after training at Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center.
His success, including a SkillsUSA national recognition, aligns with Rowe’s advocacy through his “Dirty Jobs” platform and mikeroweWORKS Foundation, started in 2008 to address a skilled labor shortage. The foundation offers work ethic scholarships—currently $2.5 million available—for trade programs, requiring applicants to sign the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge and meet rigorous criteria.
Rowe notes a big cultural shift, with trade interest surging; scholarship applications are up tenfold this year. Speaking at CPAC, he emphasized trades’ role in national security, like building submarines amid global tensions. Social media amplifies this trend, showcasing tradespeople to millions.
Rowe said he likes to check in on scholarship recipients from the past to see how their choices worked out. He recently called a young man, Johnny Goodson, who was 30 when he applied for a scholarship in 2017.
“He was the drummer in a rock ‘n’ roll band, and he really loved his life. But he wasn’t making any money. He’d fallen in love, and he wanted to raise a family. So he fills out this application and sends it to me. He was always good with his hands, so he wanted to work on heavy equipment,” Rowe explained.
Seven years later, Goodson is married, has his second child on the way, and is a level four tech responsible for inspecting all of John Deere’s construction work.
“He’s as high as you can go. He’s an absolute rockstar, only this time a different kind of rockstar,” Rowe said.
With $1.7 trillion in student debt looming, Rowe sees urgency in redirecting youth like Bambino to trades, vital for infrastructure and defense, marking a societal turning point.