Skilled trade jobs go unfilled in slow economy

Millions of unemployed college graduates are back where they started, living with their parents. Upon receiving their diploma, they find themselves saddled with crushing student loan debt and unable to find a job.

More than 36 percent of those who have found jobs aren’t working in their chosen profession and many are working for minimum wage.

At the same time, millions of good-paying jobs are going unfilled.

Nationally, an estimated three million jobs are available in the skilled trades – electricians, plumbers, manufacturing workers, pipefitters, mechanics, appliance repair, computer techs an...