March 21, 2018 04:13 PM EDT
Every year, thousands of trade workers come together for the Annual National Craft Championships, a competition organized by the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
This year, it's being held in Long Beach, California, and we're here watching people show off their skills. We're talking the nation's best electricians, welders, plumbers, carpenters and sheet metal workers convening for a six-hour hands-on competition in a series of craft-specific tasks.
According to statistics from the Department of Labor, projected growth for the carpentry trade alone is expected to be 24 percent through 2022. Overall, there's a high demand for semiskilled workers but not enough people to fill those jobs, studies show.