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The news media is filled with stories about the wondrous achievements of Artificial Intelligence, usually shortened to “AI.” AI is the most advanced form of computer technology, with the machines programmed to adapt and learn things not included in the original computer coding. Some experts regard...

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal caught my attention. It described laws enacted in 10 states during the past year to do away with the requirement of a college degree for government jobs. Georgia, Florida, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, North Caroline, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Utah and...

1. More than one in six skilled tradespeople end up owning their own business and another 20% become partners in a business. 2. 30% of small business owners have no more than a high school diploma. 3. Construction is the most popular profession for people who own their own businesses. 4. The average...

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 inside their homes than normal. This was due to enforced...

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 you so inclined. First and foremost, you don’t want...

When I was a kid growing up in the 1950s, the far-off world of today was filled with wonders to come. Homes would be heated by nuclear-powered boilers and, thanks again to nuclear energy, electricity would be too cheap to meter. People would be getting around in flying cars. Robots would do away with...

This Covid pickle we’re in has cost many jobs and disrupted many businesses. Think of all the restaurants that have gone under or are barely getting by, and all their bartenders, servers and other food service workers who have been laid off or working diminished hours. How have the skilled trades fared...

Those of you who have most of your life ahead of you will long remember the year 2020 as when the world turned upside down. Millions of people in our country have gotten sick and tens of thousands have died. Those of us who haven’t live in a way we could scarcely have imagined not […]

One of the reasons why trade workers are in short supply is because the trades have a reputation as being “gritty” work. The word gritty in this context gets interpreted as hard and dirty. I won’t sugarcoat it. To some extent, this is true. Trade work does involve more physical effort than desk...