If you work in the trades or you’re trying to break in, you’ve probably heard of Mike Rowe. The guy spent years on Dirty Jobs crawling through sewers and slaughterhouses to make a point that most people were too proud to say out loud: the people who actually keep this country running don’t get nearly enough respect.
He backed that up by starting something real. The mikeroweWORKS Foundation has been handing out scholarship money to trade school students since 2008, and they’ve given out over $16 million to more than 2,600 people across 48 states. The program is called the Work Ethic Scholarship, and applications are open right now through October 31, 2026.
What it pays for
The scholarship covers tuition and training costs for people enrolled in vocational programs across more than 21 skilled trades. Electricians, welders, plumbers, HVAC techs, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, the whole range. It’s built specifically for trade school, not a four-year university. If you’re paying out of pocket to get a certification or a journeyman license, this is the kind of money that actually helps.
What you need to apply
The foundation is upfront that there are hoops. You need to be enrolled in an approved training program. You sign something called the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge, which is basically a statement that you believe in working hard and earning what you get. You answer four questions about it. You make a short video. You get two references from a teacher or someone you’ve worked for. You submit a transcript and your tuition bill.
That’s it. The full list of approved programs and the 2026 guidelines live at mikeroweworks.org/scholarship.
Why it matters
The trades are short on workers in a serious way. Electricians, plumbers, and HVAC techs are needed in every state right now, and the pay has gotten genuinely good. Journeyman electricians in a lot of markets are making $70,000 to $90,000 a year. The problem has never been the jobs. The problem is getting enough people trained and into those jobs. This scholarship is one of the better tools out there for closing that gap.
If you’re already in a training program or thinking about starting one, the window is open. Don’t wait on it.
Once you’re trained, here’s where the jobs are
FindLaborJobs.com has over 14,000 active trade and construction jobs posted across all 50 states. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, welding, carpentry, heavy equipment and more. Free to search, free to apply, no account needed to browse.
Check what’s out there at FindLaborJobs.com.