In rural communities across the country, stacked challenges like housing costs, childcare gaps, and limited transit keep people on the sidelines of employment. And the trades feel it deeply.

Industry analysts estimate the U.S. construction sector alone faces a gap of roughly half a million workers. But Cassidy Riley of Coalfield Development in West Virginia said, “Compounding barriers do not mean that rural places need pity. We do need resources, effort, and solidarity.”

That requires developing programs and pipelines that help people see a future for themselves in vital industries. “When you empower people to overcome barriers, the sky becomes the limit,” Riley said. Her organization is “rebuilding the Appalachian economy from the ground up,” with initiatives ranging from real estate development to creative placemaking and advanced energy opportunities.