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

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

At the same time, demand for skilled labor remains high.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 7, 2026

And although skilled labor shortages persist in the U.S., pharmaceutical training demands are lower than those in high-tech sectors.

From Barron's • Oct. 8, 2025

If we reframe parenthood as a form of skilled labor instead of an innate instinct, we can find room for both men and women to excel as parents.

From Slate • Jun. 15, 2025

But the irregularity of the class attending them, the work spoiled, and the necessity of competing with skilled labor and often with machinery, soon put us behind.

From The Dangerous Classes of New York And Twenty Years' Work Among Them by Brace, Charles Loring