National Signing Day for The Trades
College football and basketball fans pay attention to those sports’ annual National Signing Day when collegiate powerhouses compete to enroll the nation’s most highly rated athletes. Although not all recruits live up to their potential, many go on to become the sport’s brightest stars at
ETT Attends American School Counselors Association Conference
Explore The Trades was able to attend the American School Counselors Association Conference in Las Vegas, NV from July 11-14, 2021. This conference brought over 2,700 counseling professionals from all over the country and included an exhibit hall where Explore The Trades (ETT) was a
A Blue-Collar Hero
If you don’t know who Mike Rowe is, it’s time you learned. He is one of the most interesting people around and a prominent cheerleader for tradespeople and other blue-collar workers. You may have seen him hosting the Discovery Channel’s series titled “Dirty Jobs,” which
Why More Women Should Consider a Career in the Trades
Trades jobs are an excellent avenue to build one’s career, pursue rewarding and meaningful work, and experience financial freedom at a much younger age than the four-year degree path. What’s more, the demand for skilled trades workers is forecasted to increase steadily in the coming
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
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
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
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
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