We were lucky to catch up with Amanda Luchetti recently and have shared our conversation below.

Amanda, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The idea for The Skilled Project came from a mix of personal experience and a stark realization: if we don’t address the skilled trades and construction industry labor shortages, we risk derailing essential goals—like decarbonizing our built environment, building urgently needed housing, and upgrading our aging infrastructure, which currently has a C- report card. This shortage is more than just a workforce gap; it’s a potential threat to our future.

Our mission is to inspire 1 million people to explore careers in the skilled trades and broader construction industry by 2028. Through impactful storytelling, advocacy for diversity and inclusion, and partnership-driven pathway creation, we’re aiming to make these careers more visible, valued, and accessible. With only 4% of skilled trade jobs held by women, there’s a tremendous opportunity to bring in diverse talent and new perspectives that can drive the industry forward.

This mission feels personal because, while my background spans many industries, I was raised in the skilled trades. My dad built a career from the construction trades, becoming a general contractor. Weekends were spent on his job sites, at the local Home Depot, or running errands, immersed in his world of building and hands-on problem-solving. But as I grew up, the message both at home and in school was that a four-year degree was the only “golden ticket” to success. Mostly, because my parents didn’t have degrees of their own. Vocational paths were downplayed and defunded, even though they’d helped so many families—including mine—enter the middle class. I even watched this false dichotomy play out with my younger brother, who struggled with the traditional classroom environment. He’s the kind of person who would have thrived in an education system that valued hands-on learning instead of sidelining these skills.

It wasn’t until I was consulting for a heat pump company in 2022, that the urgency of the skilled labor shortage truly hit me. We lack the workforce to install the technology critical to a clean energy transition, the skilled trades and the construction industry are critical to that, and our education system isn’t equipped to fill this gap. As this shortage continued to weigh on my mind, I started meeting others who shared my concerns and wondered why more people weren’t talking about it. And then, the issue began to feel inevitable and a calling. The skilled trades are not just a memory of my upbringing but a critical pillar of our economy and future. They’re also a part of my family’s story.

This is what led me to start The Skilled Project. To be a leading voice in reshaping the narrative around these careers and to show a new generation, along with their parents, teachers, and communities, that these careers are not just viable but vital. I deeply believe this isn’t a challenge that traditional supply and demand economics can solve alone. We need to reframe the cultural value of these jobs, raise awareness of these opportunities, and retool our entire education system to meet the needs of our future workforce.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Amanda Luchetti, founder of The Skilled Project, a platform dedicated to reimagining and elevating careers in the skilled trades and broader construction industry to inspire one million people to explore careers here by 2028. My background spans various industries, from global advertising and software development to co-founding an experience design studio for companies focused on climate change. Over the years, I ran multi-million-dollar projects across tech, manufacturing and banking industries. However, it was my experience working on climate solutions that set me on this path; I realized the critical role the skilled trades and broader construction industry play in decarbonizing our built environment and in meeting our future needs for housing and infrastructure.

Storytelling is central to our approach. Stories have been used for centuries to spark emotion, shift behavior, and transform cultures. They uniquely connect with people and help reframe our perspectives. For The Skilled Project, storytelling isn’t just a tool—it’s how we make these essential careers relatable and relevant, challenging outdated stigmas and highlighting their vital role in a sustainable future. We share stories of individuals, programs, and career paths across modern media channels, reshaping perceptions and connecting people to new opportunities. Our work serves as a resource and community for young people exploring these fields, as well as for educators, parents, and policymakers looking to support them.

I’m incredibly proud of the impact we’re already making by sharing stories that resonate with people across demographics and backgrounds, creating a sense of connection and possibility. In the last six months, The Skilled Project has had the following impact:
– Launched the Skilled AF podcast, spotlighting interviews with diverse and inspiring voices connected to the skilled trades and construction industry.
– Reached over 600K people organically on Instagram through stories and educational content, sparking discussions on pay transparency and career pathways in the comments.
– Garnered nearly 2 million views on content across social platforms.
– Interviewed 14 skilled trades and construction professionals, amplifying their stories.
– Helped a 32-year-old BIPOC woman from Fresno, CA, find and enroll in a welding program after getting connected on Instagram
– Partnered with Future Construction Leaders Foundation to plan and execute a 3-day construction camp for 40 teenage girls in Silicon Valley in June 2025.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx and Sneex, has profoundly shaped my approach to entrepreneurship. I admire that she didn’t come from a traditional business background—no business school or corporate track—yet she’s a powerful example that anything is possible. Her mindset, marked by strong conviction and self-belief, is what really draws me to her.

She’s taught me not to take failure personally and to embrace it as a learning tool. To actually celebrate failure. Her perspective encourages overcoming the fear of others’ opinions by doing things that might be embarrassing, reinforcing that we control how we think and feel. Above all, she demonstrates the power of holding a vision and believing it can become reality, no matter how crazy it seems. And of course, to have fun!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In college, I applied for an internship at a news station in Sacramento. I wanted this opportunity so badly—I had dreams of becoming a sideline reporter. There was just one problem: I had no way to get to and from the internship. But I applied anyway, believing that if I got accepted, I’d figure out the transportation issue.

Well, I got accepted. However, this was before Uber, and the public transportation options weren’t ideal. With the odd hours of my internship—early mornings and late nights—it would be a struggle to make the commute across the causeway, especially as I was also a full-time student and a Division 1 field hockey player. My schedule was already packed, so I knew I needed a car to make it work.

The recession was in full swing, and securing a car loan was nearly impossible. I called every bank, but without credit and with no one in my family able to co-sign, I was turned down repeatedly. So, I turned to plan B: I began calling friends and extended family members to ask for a loan. I was fully prepared to promise repayment, but given the state of the economy, everyone was reluctant to lend money. I kept trying anyway.

Time was running out. I still didn’t have a car. Friends had heard about what I was trying to do and offered to lend me their car when available. That could work, but I wasn’t giving up on finding my own vehicle. Then, out of the blue, I received a call from my high school field hockey coach. She had heard that I was searching for a car, and it turned out they were selling theirs. They were offering to sell it to me through a monthly payment plan, where I could pay off the remaining loan balance directly without needing a loan from the bank. That was something I could do. It was a total miracle.

I was able to get the car I needed to make the internship possible just in time. Whenever I’m doubting myself, I think about this experience as proof that I can do hard things. This experience taught me the importance of persistence, resourcefulness, and not being afraid of asking for help.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theskilledproject.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskilledproject/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-luchetti/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@theskilledproject
  https://podcast.ausha.co/skilledaf-podcast