New technologies are transforming the skilled trades workforce, reshaping the way skilled workers perform their roles and collaborate with their teams. According to the NFPA 2025 Industry Trends Survey, 46% of industry professionals plan to adopt more digital tools in their daily operations — a 9% increase from last year.

Barthlomew Jae, director of education and development at NFPA, attributes the growth of digital adoption to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics. He explains that skilled trades organizations use tools like predictive analytics to improve workplace safety by monitoring operational practices.

These technologies enhance accuracy, efficiency, and most importantly, worker safety — which is critical in an industry that experiences the highest rate of fatal worker injuries. However, their effectiveness depends on employees’ ability to use them. To maximize these benefits, businesses must invest in training skilled workers to confidently and proficiently use these innovations.

How Technology Impacts the Skilled Trades

Technology adoption in the skilled trades industry is particularly focused on reducing workplace errors, a leading cause of fatal injuries. In 2021-2022, most workplace injuries resulted from contact with objects and equipment, falls, slips, trips and exposure to harmful substances — potential risks and hazards trades workers face daily.

In a Training Industry article, David Miller, CIH, senior director of environmental health and safety at Advanced Technology Services, stresses the importance of a strong safety culture. He explains, “Achieving and sustaining safety excellence is a business imperative to protect employee lives and health and ensure excellence in environmental, health and safety (EHS).”

Advancements in technology, particularly AI, can enhance workplace safety by monitoring and analyzing daily operations. These tools can identify safe practices, predict potential risks and provide real-time data to help decision-makers prevent accidents and inefficiencies. Examples of these technologies can include:

·       AI-enabled safety monitoring systems

Monitoring systems, such as surveillance cameras or drones, can oversee warehouses by tracking worker movements and machine operations to identify hazards or unsafe practices. Using AI and machine learning, these systems detect risks, monitor worker behavior and ensure equipment is operating safely.

Jae explains that this technology can help organizations take a proactive approach to safety, addressing risks before they result in incidents. “The footage can then be fed into an AI system for analysis, which will assess the situation and provide us with predictive insights,” he says. This data equips decision-makers with the information they need to maintain a safe working environment.

·       Wearables

Wearables are electronic devices physically worn by employees to track, analyze and transmit data, providing real-time support and just-in-time learning experiences for skilled trades workers. Here are some common wearables used in the industry:

• Wearable sensors: Integrated into clothing or worn directly on the body, these sensors monitor physiological changes to ensure the safety of workers. They track movements, detect fatigue and identify unsafe postures to help prevent injuries.
• GPS wearables: These devises help workers navigate job sites and allow supervisors to monitor locations for safety and coordination.
• Exoskeletons: Designed to reduce strain and injury, exoskeletons assist with heavy lifting and repetitive motions by providing mechanical support.
• Smart helmets: Equipped with augmented reality (AR) displays, environmental sensors, cameras and communications systems, smart helmets enhance collaboration and documentation. Features include live streaming and recording for real-time communication, GPS tracking for navigation and safety, integrated microphones and speakers for hands-free communication, safety alerts through visual, audio or vibration signals, and built-in lighting to improve visibility.
• Smart gloves: These gloves enable workers to touch and manipulate virtual objects in a more intuitive and direct way. They contain sensors that detect hand and finger movement, grasping force, and provide kinesthetic and tactile feedback.
• Health monitoring systems: Track vital signs like heart rate, hydration levels, or body temperature to ensure worker well-being.
• Smart glasses: Featuring built-in cameras and AI, smart glasses can identify objects, equipment and potential hazards in the worker’s field of vision. They can also display step-by-step instructions, schematics or checklists to improve accuracy and reduce workplace accidents.

Jae predicts that AR/VR-powered smart glasses could be a real game changer for the skilled trades industry. By assisting workers as they work, smart glasses can also help them learn new processes and skills. “I do think augmented reality supported by AI could be the next wave as far as learning is concerned, bringing learning in the moment, rather than going away to learn,” he says. Since deskless workers often do not have time for formal training, wearables offer a practical solution by enabling continuous learning on the go.

The Need for Technical Training

Digital adoption can not only improve workplace precision and efficiency, but also the way employees approach their work. However, to realize these benefits, employees must know how to use new tools effectively. Learning leaders play a critical role in ensuring employees have the skills and knowledge to integrate these tools into daily tasks. Otherwise, the technologies won’t be as effective, therein wasting the business’s investment. Without proper training, the investment in technology may go to waste.

Technical training should begin by explaining why these advanced tools matter and how they can improve workers’ day-to-day tasks. However, the skilled trades industry spans multiple generations, each with different learning preferences shaped by their experiences with technology. For example, digital natives grew up using smartboards, while Gen Xers were taught with chalkboards. These differences influence how they engage with learning. Jae advises L&D leaders to consider these generational disparities when planning their technical training programs.