Beier et al. (Reference Beier, Saxena, Kraiger, Constanza, Rudolph, Cadiz, Petery and Fisher2025) argue that industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology has generally taken an organization-centered perspective on workplace learning, and they advocate for a shift toward person-centered approaches to support workers in navigating dynamic changes in the workforce. Although we concur with this shift in focus, we highlight an additional perspective that builds on the focal article. Specifically, we argue that I-O psychologists can contribute to solving the problem of current and projected gaps in the macro-level labor market that are not being met by a reliable supply of workers. We focus on worker shortages in the skilled trades to emphasize why it is critical to expand the traditional scope of workplace learning research to consider macro-level labor gaps. We start by identifying potential barriers to filling these gaps in the context of the skilled trades and then offer four potential approaches to address these barriers, with an emphasis on the role that I-O psychologists can play through the study of workplace learning.
Growing supply–demand gaps in the trades
Although Beier et al., identify four important trends in the nature of work that have implications for workplace learning, one underlying yet underemphasized trend is the increasing demand for workers in some professions that is not currently being matched by a corresponding supply of interested and skilled workers. A central example can be found in the skilled trades,Footnote 1 which have critical shortages of workers that are projected to worsen. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates suggest a shortfall of 375,000 welders and 500,000 construction workers in the coming years (BLS, 2023). There is currently not a sufficient pipeline of young workers prepared to fill these roles. Although such shortages persist in several sectors of the workforce (including many Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics professions and healthcare occupations, among others; Handel, 2024; Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, Reference Tamata and Mohammadnezhad2023), we focus on the trades as a key example to explore how I-O psychologists can contribute to narrowing labor gaps through expanding the study of workplace learning.
Barriers against narrowing labor supply–demand gaps in the trades
Several interrelated factors likely contribute to the shortages of skilled and interested workers in the trades. For one, worker shortages might be exacerbated by a misalignment between the vocational interests that are most commonly held among people and those that are most highly demanded in the market (Hoff et al., Reference Hoff, Granillo-Velasquez, Hanna, Morris, Oswald and Rounds2024). In particular, the U.S. labor market demands many more jobs that involve realistic interests compared to the number of people with strong realistic interests. In part, this interest gap might be driven by a lack of workplace learning opportunities that expose students to accurate and up-to-date information about available career opportunities in the trades and allow them to develop those interests.
Many people might be hesitant to pursue trade careers due to the lack of gender and racial diversity in these occupations. Indeed, women comprise a very small proportion of tradespeople and also face unique barriers when training and working in the male-dominated trades (Bridges et al., Reference Bridges, Wulff, Bamberry, Krivokapic-Skoko and Jenkins2020; National Taskforce on Tradeswomen’s Issues, 2022). In addition, as highlighted by Beier et al., workers from vulnerable or marginalized backgrounds can experience low levels of agency in the workplace, leading to lower participation in training and development activities in the occupational choice and preparation phase of career development (Duffy et al., Reference Duffy, Diemer and Jadidian2012). Perceiving a lack of representation and inclusion in the trades might further push individuals from vulnerable and marginalized groups from engaging in work-based learning programs in these fields. Importantly, I-O psychology has largely overlooked this sector of the workforce (Bergman & Jean, Reference Bergman and Jean2016). As a result, we have limited knowledge in our discipline about the experiences and outcomes of individuals who engage in work-related learning programs in the trades. Below, we outline how I-O psychologists can better address this neglected sector of the labor market.
Potential avenues toward narrowing labor gaps in the trades
We see several promising avenues toward meeting the growing demand for skilled workers in the trades that involve work-related learning. Importantly, our recommendations reflect a broadened view of work-related learning that includes pre-career exposure and exploration as part of the learning continuum, given that early exposure has implications for continuous learning and upskilling throughout a career. These recommendations include: (a) increasing awareness of trade professions, (b) designing and evaluating work-based learning programs and career exploration tools, (c) examining experiences of diverse workers in the trades, and (d) identifying structural changes needed to increase job attractiveness among diverse workers.
Increase awareness of trade professions
Obtaining a more thorough understanding of student, worker, and family (mis)perceptions is a key initial step toward narrowing the worker supply–demand gap in the skilled trades. I-O psychologists could examine attitudes toward and perceptions of the skilled trades relative to other career paths. Critically, this requires a broadening of the scope of I-O psychology research to include not only current workers but also future workers (e.g., adolescents and young adults) pursuing various educational and career pathways. Studying how young people view the trades could help identify how stigmas and inaccurate career knowledge play a role in preventing early skill development that aligns with the demands of skilled trades occupations. Importantly, career information needs to be kept up to date to reflect changes within the skilled trades. For example, many welding jobs have incorporated automation technologies in welders’ daily tasks. Such technological advancements could influence the extent to which students with different interests and skill profiles are attracted to and interested in trade jobs. Updated career information could also guide individuals in determining which skills are valued in these professions, addressing the challenge raised in the focal article regarding a lack of clarity about what skills to develop.
Design and evaluate work-based learning programs and career exploration tools
I-O psychologists can contribute to evaluating, designing, and expanding work-based learning programs and career exploration opportunities in the trades. As one example, apprenticeships are an underresearched type of work-based learning program in I-O psychology. Recognizing the shortage of workers in the trades, many organizations have launched their own apprenticeship programs to build talent pipelines, often through community colleges (Anderson & Keily, Reference Anderson and Keily2021). I-O psychologists could collaborate with these organizations and other researchers to rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of apprenticeship programs in the trades. By doing so, I-O psychologists can offer insights on effective components of apprenticeships that lead to better outcomes (i.e., higher employment rates, incomes, and satisfaction).
Relatedly, I-O psychologists could also contribute to designing a new generation of career exploration tools to stimulate interest and promote accurate career knowledge among future workers. For instance, psychologists could collaborate with engineers to develop virtual reality (VR) simulations for career exploration and realistic job previews (Hou et al., Reference Hou, Tracy, Pitcher and Berend2024). VR technology could also potentially be used to provide opportunities for work-based learning and skill development in a safe and low-stakes environment. I-O psychologists have a role to play in the design, implementation, and evaluation of these tools.
Examine experiences of diverse workers in the trades
Understanding the experiences of underrepresented workers in the trades is another important step toward identifying what changes need to be made to make such jobs more attractive and appealing for people from diverse backgrounds. I-O psychologists could conduct research with underrepresented workers who are currently in this profession, as well as young people engaged in workplace learning programs in the trades (e.g., apprenticeships). Such research would offer greater insight into the experiences and outcomes of individuals in the trades and could also reveal unique barriers to entry and retention for women and underrepresented workers. Work-related learning opportunities and programs in the trades could be accordingly reformed to be more inclusive of individuals from various backgrounds, thereby facilitating a diverse talent pipeline.
Identify structural changes needed to increase job attractiveness among diverse workers
Various structural factors might also be contributing to labor gaps in the trades. For instance, trade occupations that tend to have higher union membership rates also tend to have fewer worker shortages (Elbashbishy & El-adaway, Reference Elbashbishy and El-adaway2024). I-O psychologists could collaborate with researchers across disciplines to more thoroughly test structural factors, including the existence of trade unions, that help differentiate between professions that have larger (vs. smaller) worker shortages. Our field is also well-equipped to test the effectiveness of various organizational and structural interventions on worker outcomes. Findings could then inform structural changes that might increase the attractiveness of trade professions among diverse workers. In addition, knowledge about structural factors impacting workers in trade professions can aid individuals in the process of considering careers in these fields.
Conclusion
In this commentary, we have outlined the role of I-O psychologists in narrowing labor gaps by expanding the focus of research on work-related learning. Our recommendations align with the person-centered approach to workplace learning advocated in the focal article by prioritizing individual empowerment, offering tailored opportunities for career exploration, fostering inclusivity, and ensuring that workers can make informed decisions about skill development and career trajectories based on both personal interests and industry needs. Although we focus on the skilled trades as a critical example, we encourage I-O psychologists to apply a similar approach to consider how they might address labor gaps in other sectors as well. Incorporating this macro-level perspective is essential for developing person-centric workplace learning strategies that meet the needs of workers while addressing broader market demands.
