Are You Job-Ready? – Part 2
November 15, 2016 Great work requires focus and concentration Are you really ready to hold down a responsible job? You need more than technical ability. The ultimate sign of readiness is productivity coupled with excellence. Can you produce value commensurate with the pay you receive?
Are You Job-Ready? – Part 1
Time is of the essence. Your success in a trade career depends on several elements. One is mechanical aptitude, coupled with relevant technical education and/or experience. You must be trained or trainable, and able to do the work. In the next several articles I will
Automation Doesn’t Threaten The Trades
April 26, 2016 Robot plumbers are a long, long way off Can trade workers be replaced by machines? That would seem to be the implication by a computer scientist at Rice University, who predicts that by 2045 machines will be capable of doing almost any
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,
What Do HVAC Mechanics Do?
A large range of work leads to specialization. HVAC may be the most complex of the skilled trades. An HVAC mechanic can be responsible for the installation and maintenance of a wide range of commercial and residential heating and cooling equipment, including heat pumps, furnaces,
Plumbing Tools of the Trade
They are becoming ever more sophisticated. Peek inside a plumber’s toolbox and you’ll likely find a number of hand tools common to every trade. These include hammers, saws, screwdrivers, pliers, files, chisels, levels, tape measures, flashlights, caulkers, etc. You also would be certain to find