Jobs for electricians and other skilled trades are going unfilled, but the number of Black workers in these fields is disproportionately small, representing just 6% of skilled tradespeople as compared with almost 14% of the total U.S. population. Conversely, Hispanic and Latino workers make up 21.9% of tradespeople compared with 19% of the population, and white workers account for 65.9% of all tradespeople while representing 75.3% of the total population.

 According to a story in the Lexington Herald Leader, racism, pay disparities and pipeline challenges all contribute to this gap.

General lack of awareness and industry outreach regarding opportunities is another barrier. With technical and vocational schools often located in predominantly white, male-dominated areas, education and training in these fields can be a challenge for people of color. Furthermore, opportunities in the skilled trades aren’t often discussed in urban areas or schools with a high population of minority students.

There is a pay disparity in the skilled trades. Black people are the lowest average earners, making about $36,816 per year. In contrast, Asian tradespeople make $40,710 per year, white tradespeople make an average salary of $39,552 and Latino and Hispanic workers make an average of $38,186.

When they do work in construction, Black people are typically employed as general construction workers, which pays a lower rate than specialized industries. However, Zippia data indicates that they are represented at higher than the national average for all skilled trades in the residential sector: 8.5% of electricians, 8.9% of plumbers and 8.3% of HVAC technicians.

Black workers are also often unable to advance to higher-paying managerial roles due to discrimination. According to a 2023 study by the Pew Research Center, 41% of Black workers report having experienced some level of racial discrimination in their jobs, as well as unfair practices in hiring, pay and promotions. They also state that they don’t experience the same on-the-job mentoring their white colleagues get.      

According to a 2023 Joint Center report, Black workers complete apprenticeship programs at substantially lower percentages than other demographic groups, reportedly due to lack of supportive services such as childcare, transportation and housing assistance.

To overcome these issues and foster more inclusive recruiting practices, the Philadelphia Technician Training Institute suggests policymakers provide funding for apprenticeships, and for those apprenticeships to offer assistance for transportation and to offset the costs of tools, equipment, books, supplies and uniforms.