
Blanton’s Air, Plumbing & Electric Visits Local Elementary Students
At Blanton’s Air, Plumbing & Electric in Fayetteville, NC, the team had an extraordinary day with local elementary students! Along with a showcase of cool tools, the students received awesome coloring books and a visit from Coolidge. It’s never too early to “explore the trades”!

ETT Attends SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference
Louisville, KY – Over 18,000 students, educators, parents and industry partners were in attendance at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference from June 24-28. A showcase and celebration of career and technical skills, students from all 50 states and Puerto Rico competed in over

Are You Meant To Be An Entrepreneur?
Take a look at the great startup unicorns out there and it’s easy to see why so many people want to become an entrepreneur. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has become the wealthiest person on the planet, with a net worth of $130 billion.Google says that
Construction Plagued by Labor Shortages
February 2017 Service firms also cry for trade workers Most of our economy has largely recovered from the devastation of the “Great Recession” that started in 2008. One notable exception is construction. Home building is still at recession levels, and one reason is a lack

Are You Job-Ready? – Part 1
Job Ready Skills: What Skilled Trades Employers Actually Want Technical skill gets you in the door, but it’s not what keeps you employed. Ask any contractor, service company owner, or hiring manager in plumbing, HVAC, or electrical work what separates their best team members from
How Do You Enter a Trade?
November 10, 2015 Apprenticeship has changed from the old days. Following in your father’s footsteps has a long tradition in the skilled trades. Many if not most of today’s trade workers entered the field because that’s what their father or some other family member did
Welders Are Worth A Lot
April 8, 2015 Few trades suffer such great a shortage. A consistent theme of my blogs is that skilled trade workers are in short supply in a number of industries. Few trades have a shortage as desperate as that of welders. According to the Bureau
What Do Electricians Do?
March 5, 2015 “Smart homes” help to expand the trade. Electricians are among the most crucial trade workers in modern society, and their work is expanding thanks to the trend of computerized building automation and so-called “smart homes.” Electricians install and maintain electrical power, communications,
Tools of the HVAC Trade
February 20, 2015 Various electronic gauges and instruments are required. As with any other trade, an HVAC technician typically owns his personal set of hand tools that goes with him wherever he may be employed. At the most basic level these include hammers, screwdrivers, pliers,