Originally shared in our February 2026 Top of Mind Newsletter.
“[The trades] are a ticket to the American dream, and a lot of Americans are locked out of it… It shouldn’t just be your children and my children that have expectations. Every child should have expectations, and we need to invest in those expectations and the support to achieve them.” — Rahm Emanuel
In a recent Brookings Institute event, former Chicago Mayor and prior Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel sat down with a panel of experts to discuss a difficult reality. Many industries are currently struggling to find workers. Ford Automotive alone has nearly 5,000 unfilled jobs that pay upwards of six figures, yet there are over 43 federal training programs on the books that are largely failing to move the needle. As we reviewed the webcast, our team was struck by the honest look at why the current system is leaving so many people behind, both employers and workers.
The discussion made it clear that fixing this mismatch is not just about more programs or policy. It is about fostering a sense of agency. For example, Chicago’s “Learn, Plan, Succeed” initiative reached a 98% compliance rate for post-graduation planning by expecting students to have a concrete path forward.
This is where mindset comes in. Whether someone chooses a trade or an office job, they need a new set of skills to navigate uncertainty and create their own success. These skills, with deliberate practice, foster a shift in one’s mindset. The solution is rooted in empowering people to see themselves as active problem-solvers in their own lives, rather than passive participants in a system that isn’t working for them.