- A huge demand exists for people in the trades, especially the skilled trades like HVAC, electrical, plumbing, etc. Almost every trade employer cites a shortage of workers as one of the main problems facing the business.
- Pay scales are high and going up. The Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS)show average wages of between $50,000-$60,000 for all of the skilled trades, but those numbers are misleading. Top performers can earn twice as much or more.
- College costs are skyrocketing even as the quality of education goes down thanks to grade inflation and political indoctrination. Learning a skilled trade costs a small fraction of what it takes to go to college and you can find many employers who will absorb the cost and even pay you a living wage while in training.
- The trades feature equal opportunity employers. The trades feature remarkably little pay disparity between men and women and the shortage of skilled trade workers means employers have little incentive to discriminate.
- The trades lead to many opportunities for advancement to even higher paying jobs in project management, estimating, business development, etc. A skilled trade also provides a solid foundation for some day opening your own trade business.
- Job security is better than ever in the trades. Big projects come and go but there are always new ones going up somewhere in the country, and with demand dramatically outpacing supply no skilled trade worker need remain unemployed for long.
- The trades are also safer than ever before. Job safety is a high priority, forced upon trade employers by their insurance companies. An employer with a poor safety record will pay sky-high premiums and be shut out of many projects.
- The trades are less strenuous than ever before. Modern material handling equipment has devalued muscle power as a requirement. Even persons of small stature can have a successful career.
- The trades are filled with technical innovation. If you like to work with computers, the trades offer plenty of opportunities with computerized estimating and design programs, electronic equipment, etc.
- Job satisfaction is high. Various surveys show a high degree of job satisfaction among skilled trade workers. This is due not only to high pay and benefits, but also personal pride in knowing how to build and fix things that most people can’t.