Interviewed by Michael Nelson and Derek Foster • Article written directly from the recorded transcript using AI, editor-reviewed by Taylor Stone, and subject-verified.

Artificial intelligence is changing the way people work, but Dr. Michael Brophy believes the skilled trades will remain essential. As president of Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY, Brophy sees an opportunity to prepare more people for careers that build, maintain, and support the infrastructure behind a changing economy.

His message to the next generation is straightforward: technology may change the jobs available, but the need for people who can work with their hands and solve real-world problems won’t go away.

“Things will have to be built. Things will have to be maintained. Humans want to create things,” Brophy said during his conversation with Blue Collar StartUp. For young people considering a trade, adults looking to change careers, and business owners searching for their next employees, that perspective connects education directly to the region’s workforce.

Hudson Valley Community College Connects Education With Regional Workforce Needs

Hudson Valley Community College serves students across the Capital Region through its main campus in Troy and additional campuses and training sites throughout the area. Brophy explained that the college serves approximately 20,000 students annually, with about half enrolled in degree programs and the other half participating in workforce development or community education.

That reach extends beyond traditional college classrooms. The college offers aircraft maintenance training at Albany International Airport, operates a campus in Malta that was built to train workers for GlobalFoundries, and provides programs at other locations throughout the region. These sites help connect education with the industries and employers that need skilled workers.

For Brophy, understanding those needs means listening to employers rather than assuming the college already has all the answers. He described an extensive qualitative research effort focused on regional employers that identified three priorities. One was giving students more immersive technical education experiences between 5th and 12th grade. Another was making education more accessible to people who cannot commit to two full years of full-time study. The third focused on the personal qualities employers need alongside technical knowledge.

Those findings matter to local contractors and other blue-collar business owners. Finding qualified employees is not simply a matter of waiting for students to graduate. It requires helping young people discover the trades, making training accessible, and building relationships between educators and the businesses that will eventually hire them.

Why the Next Generation Needs More Than Technical Skills

Learning to weld, work with electrical systems, or maintain equipment is only part of career preparation. Brophy emphasized that employers also need people who can work with others, make sound decisions, and take responsibility.

“Although there’s huge demand for people who have these technical skills in different areas, there are still a lot of students coming out of high school into the programs,” he explained, describing the demand for technical education and the need to expand capacity.

He also identified the qualities that employers evaluate when deciding whom to hire: “It means teamwork. It means leadership. It means discernment.”

For a small blue-collar business, those qualities can matter as much as a candidate’s ability to perform a particular task. Technical knowledge can be developed through instruction and practice, but employers also need people who communicate well, exercise judgment, and contribute to a team.

Brophy said Hudson Valley Community College is considering how to integrate these qualities more intentionally into its curriculum. The goal is to prepare students for the realities of the workplace, where success depends on more than what someone can demonstrate in a training environment.

He also sees a shift in how families and schools view technical education. During his first year as president, Brophy visited school superintendents throughout the region and found that they were expanding technical education by adding faculty, facilities, and coordination with the college.

Reflecting on his four decades in higher education, he said, “The culture has never been more supportive of technical education.”

That shift in attitude could help more young people see the trades as a worthwhile path rather than overlooking them in favor of a traditional four-year degree.

AI, Shorter Training Programs, and the Future of Skilled Work

Brophy’s outlook on artificial intelligence is grounded in how quickly careers can change. He shared the example of his 28-year-old son, who began working as a computer programmer in 2021 and is now an AI curator. The story shows how quickly an industry’s skill demands can shift, even for people who have already invested in a particular career path.

For Brophy, the physical work involved in building and maintaining things offers a different kind of long-term relevance. When discussing the future of skilled trades, he said, “It’s hard to imagine trades ever going away.”

That does not mean the workforce will remain unchanged. New technologies and major development projects can create demand for different skills, while workers displaced from other industries may need opportunities to retrain. Brophy said the college is considering how to make education more manageable for adults and employers who cannot devote two full-time years to training.

“People may not need credits. They may just need speed,” he said, describing the need for shorter, more focused learning options.

Hudson Valley Community College is also looking for ways to introduce younger students to hands-on experiences and use available training time more effectively. Brophy discussed potential opportunities to work with local school districts and support paid experiences on campus, so students do not have to choose between earning money and exploring technical careers.

For employers, the college offers a direct way to connect with emerging talent. Brophy said businesses can reach out to Hudson Valley Community College, participate in career fairs, and help shape programs through advisory councils. Employers and unions already work with the college to connect students with opportunities in their fields.

These relationships can help local businesses identify future employees while giving students a clearer picture of what a career in the trades can look like.

Brophy encourages prospective students and families to explore the college’s website to learn about its programs and locations, but he believes seeing the training environment in person makes a difference. “Nothing beats just taking 3 or 4 hours and coming to campus. Be inspired. See the manufacturing, see the robotics, see the welding.”

For the next generation of blue-collar entrepreneurs, that invitation also reminds them that the future of the trades begins with exposure, practical training, and connections between education and the working world. As Hudson Valley Community College continues to respond to the Capital Region’s workforce needs, Brophy’s message remains focused on what people will always need: skilled workers who can build, maintain, and create the things communities depend on.