Trade Worker Shortage Deepens in Perry County, Schools Expand Apprenticeships

On November 25, 2025 tradespeople and educators outlined a tightening labor market for plumbers and electricians that is already affecting Perry County residents. Patrick Goodin, owner of Goodin Plumbing and Electric in Hazard, said the number of local technicians who perform service work is down to just a handful, and that vacancies created by retirements have not been filled. “There’s really only two or three of us in in the whole Perry County that actually service do service work,” Goodin said. “At one time I was the youngest plumber in Kentucky, and now I’m probably hitting the oldest plumber in Kentucky.”

The shortage has practical consequences for households and local government. Fewer available technicians lengthen wait times for repairs, raise the cost of maintenance and emergency service calls, and complicate construction and infrastructure projects across the county. Local contractors and municipal departments that rely on timely service work face scheduling bottlenecks that can delay housing, commercial work, and routine maintenance.

Educators are responding by broadening career options for students through skills training and paid apprenticeships. At the Knott County Area Technology Center instructors are taking students on tours of schools and apprenticeship programs where participants can earn wages while they learn. “I think that part of the problem is for years, all of our students were told that they have to go to college to be a success and that’s just not true,” said Stacy Sparkman, instructor at Knott County ATC. “AI can’t do the job and these are jobs that are always going to be needed.” A senior at Knott County Central High School, Dalton Bentley, plans to enter the trades after graduation without attending a four year university.

The trend carries policy implications for county leaders and school boards. Investments in career technical education, partnerships with apprenticeship sponsors, expanded recruitment in high schools, and incentives for new apprentices could help replenish the workforce. Voters and officials will likely weigh workforce and education investments as part of broader decisions about economic development and public services. Local employers say increasing visibility and pay for trade careers will be essential to reversing the decline and maintaining reliable services for Perry County residents.