MEDIA ALERT

Radnor, PA October 6, 2025

New Airgas Survey Uncovers Barriers to Skilled Trades Recruitment

For years, the narrative around the skilled labor shortage has been that young people simply aren't interested in the trades. Airgas has released new research, based on comprehensive surveys of nearly 100 students and 90 educators, which challenges these assumptions and reveals new insights.

Airgas uncovered that 76% of skilled trades students are interested in pursuing a career in the skilled trades. Yet, there's a disconnect: 72% of those same students feel they lack the basic information needed to start. They are past asking "why" and are instead asking "how."

Airgas’ findings pinpoint specific challenges and areas of opportunity:

  • The central problem is the gap between high student interest and the low exposure students have to the field. Students are eager but lack access to the hands-on training, internships, and in-person mentorship that transforms curiosity into commitment.
  • Teachers report their top needs are more funding for modern equipment and industry professionals to be physically present in their classrooms to act as role models and demonstrate that the trades offer high-tech, viable careers.
  • Ultimately, students need a clear roadmap from the classroom to a career.

These findings pivot the conversation from a perceived "interest gap" to a tangible and solvable "information gap." Airgas’ data shows what students and teachers crave, along with actionable recommendations for companies to step up and provide the pieces that have been missing.

Airgas, Inc.

Airgas®, an Air Liquide company, is a leading U.S. supplier of industrial, medical and specialty gases, as well as hardgoods and related products; one of the largest U.S. suppliers of safety products; and a leading U.S. supplier of ammonia products and process chemicals.

Airgas helps its more than 1 million customers advance their business performance and reach their full potential with reliable products, services and expertise used to create, build, care, serve and sustain. With nearly 18,000 associates, over 1,400 locations, a robust eBusiness platform, and Airgas Total Access® telesales channel, Airgas is ready to help customers fill their potential, every day.

As an Air Liquide company, a world leader in gases, technology and services for Industry and Health, Airgas offers customers an unrivaled global footprint and industry-leading technology and innovations.

For more information, please visit www.airgas.com.

CONTACTS

Airgas Communications
Marysa Mazanek
610-230-3213
mediasupport@airgas.com



Air Liquide is a world leader in gases, technologies and services for industry and healthcare. Present in 60 countries with approximately 66,500 employees, the Group serves more than 4 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the Group’s activities since its creation in 1902.

Taking action today while preparing the future is at the heart of Air Liquide’s strategy. With ADVANCE, its strategic plan, Air Liquide is targeting a global performance, combining financial and extra-financial dimensions. Positioned on new markets, the Group benefits from major assets such as its business model combining resilience and strength, its ability to innovate and its technological expertise. The Group develops solutions contributing to climate and the energy transition — particularly with hydrogen — and takes action to progress in areas of healthcare, electronics and high technologies.

Air Liquide’s revenue amounted to more than 27 billion euros in 2024. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, CAC 40 ESG, EURO STOXX 50, FTSE4Good and DJSI Europe indexes.