Guest Blog post from Lineman Central.

The best financial advisors will tell you that the creation of wealth creates discipline, planning and hard work. What if there was a career path that provided above average pay while also instilling those interpersonal values and virtues? That is exactly what the trades are well-suited for.

When asked to describe a plumber, contractor or electrician, one of the most common answers Americans give is disciplined and hardworking. There is a general understanding and awareness that the trades build the grit and tenacity that comes along with being strong financial savvy and understanding.

In 2021, the trades not only provide well-paying jobs that can build wealth but also fulfilling work that motivate the younger generations now entering the workforce.

Electricians across North America work closely with communities, from common household fixes to constructing businesses and houses. These professionals work with their hands and receive the satisfaction of seeing a job through to completion. Plumbers, in partnership with individuals who are remodeling or building spaces, work on water, steam, sewage, and other projects. Professionals in these trades have the pride of serving their local community and knowing that they positively impact the day-to-day livelihood of their friends and neighbors.

These often-forgotten skills are taken for granted until they are needed in dire times. Without power and water, the comforts of today would be quite different.

Another trade, within the electrical industry that often is overlooked, is the line trade. Linemen are responsible for the installation and repair of overhead and underground electrical power lines and related power stations. This includes work from power plants to the meters of customers’ homes. Lineman usually works for utility companies or energy companies.

Like so many other trades, the completion of a four-year apprenticeship is required before beginning your career. These programs can be found at training programs and line schools across the country.

Like plumbing, heating, cooling and electrical, lineman apprenticeships follow suit of other blue-collar apprenticeships where they follow the “earn-while-you-learn model”. In contrast to the four-year degrees that may require five to six figures in debt, apprentices earn a wage while learning a trade with both classroom work and on-the-job training. In fact, 7,000 hours of on-the-job training is required to become a journeyman lineman. But the training and education is well worth it, as the average salary of a journeyman lineman varies between $80,000-$115,000!

The future of work will be shaped by a younger generation that wants fulfilling and hands on work with meaning. The trades are well-positioned to outfit the upcoming skilled workforce with lifelong skills, great wages and the ability to care for their communities.

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