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

Flush with profits and buoyed by steadily rising sales, businesses have little need to cut jobs, especially when the supply of skilled labor is so low.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

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

The Federal Reserve’s latest survey of businesses observed that while demand for workers has softened, “firms reported continued challenges finding skilled labor, particularly in engineering, health care, and other trades.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 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

The task was called moenia, and since it was the lowest and least skilled labor, work of that kind later came to be known as menial, the work of slaves and servants.

From The Childhood of Rome by Lamprey, Louise