skilled labor

American  

noun

1. labor that requires special training for its satisfactory performance.

2. the workers employed in such labor.

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Etymology

Origin of skilled labor

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

Some tech leaders attribute the drop in industry employment mostly to overhiring following the pandemic, when skilled labor was hard to obtain and retain.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 1, 2026

It’s harder to find skilled labor and there is now a lengthy wait list for equipment, said Deysel, a geophysicist and mining engineer who has previously worked at various mines across Africa.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

Only a handful of emerging economies combine digital capability, a skilled labor force, and a meaningful export base in tech.

From Barron's • Dec. 22, 2025

But the private sector wants to retain the ability to recruit skilled labor from abroad.

From Slate • Sep. 23, 2025

For its successful production the plant does not require skilled labor or intensive cultivation.

From The Planters of Colonial Virginia by Wertenbaker, Thomas Jefferson