Employing America

Let's Get America Employed!

October 3-9, AOL Jobs, AOL.com and our celebrity spokesperson, John Ratzenberger, are coming together to bring awareness to the people who literally built and continue to build America's foundation -- skilled workers.

There appears to be a surplus of jobs waiting to be filled -- from auto mechanics to welders -- and not enough people trained to fill them. Yet our unemployment rate continues to hover around 9 percent and America's jobless are getting increasingly frustrated and scared.

This week we are taking an in-depth look into these essential jobs and the people who do them. We'll look at how trade jobs have changed over the years; provide lists of in-demand and high-paying jobs; offer advice about getting these jobs and share the stories of skilled workers -- from aspiring young apprentices to those nearing retirement.

We hope that bringing awareness and respect to the skilled worker will encourage the young and the unemployed alike to consider a path into the "essential arts."

Together, we can get America back to work.