How Safe Are The Trades?

I’m sure most of you understand that the trades entail rugged working conditions with more hazards than you’ll find at a desk job. The good news is that deaths and injuries are steadily diminishing. A big reason is that insurance companies lead the way in

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ETT Participates In SkillsUSA National Leadership

Explore The Trades is excited to once again be a part of the National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC), happening virtually this year from June 21-24.  The NLSC is an annual event that invites students from all 50 states and Puerto Rico to test their

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The Deepest Shade Of Blue Collar

A recurring theme of this blog is how attractive the skilled mechanical-electrical trades are compared with many white-collar jobs that require a college education. This time I’ll compare those trades with other skilled blue-collar careers that typically offer decent pay and benefits. One of these

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Signs Of The Times

Almost a year and a half into the Covid pandemic, trends are starting to shape up that reveal vast and probably lasting changes to our society and culture. One of the most pronounced of these trends is that many citizens have spent much more time

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Tips for Switching Careers

In my last blog I pointed out that many of the traits common to workers in various service industries are similar to what many trade employers require. I’m going to continue on the subject with some ways to go about switching careers for those of

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What Is HVAC?

If you are a trades worker or even a homeowner, you have undoubtedly heard the term “HVAC.” While you might have known what the acronym stands for (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), you might be slightly less knowledgeable about the ins, outs, and intricacies of

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Job Skills That Transfer To The Trades

I suspect that some of you visitors to this website are victims of Covid-related job losses. Millions of service workers who used to work for bars, restaurants, hotels, retail stores, etc., for the past year have found themselves relying on government handouts or a series

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Find Out If You’re Cut Out For The Trades

In my last blog I wrote about the importance of having an enthusiastic attitude when applying for an entry-level trade position. Change one letter in that word and you’ll discover one more all-important trait any employer will demand. That’s aPtitude. Do you have the mechanical

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100% Effort in the Plumbing Trade

Like many young men in high school, Gabe played sports and hoped that his athletic talent would be his key to a college education. While he didn’t know what his major would be, he was sure of one thing: he had no desire to sit

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