If The Military Turns You Down
If the military turns you down …You probably are disqualified from the trades. Last year I read an article in the Wall Street Journal saying that 71% of American youths between the ages of 17 and 24 would fail to qualify for the U.S. military if they applied. Reasons include physical, educational or behavioral shortcomings, […]
Women Have Great Trade Prospects
Attitudes have turned around. Most estimates peg females as only about 2% to 2.5% of all skilled trade workers and the percentage is not going up significantly. That’s too bad, because most skilled trade employers would be happy to hire females if only more would apply for trade jobs and apprenticeship programs. What’s in it […]
Character Counts in the Trades
April 22, 2015 Youthful mistakes can haunt you for life. Many prisons have programs designed to teach inmates a trade that will translate to an honest living when they get released. This is an admirable effort at rehabilitation, but not a place I would recommend for any kind of job training. A prison record is […]
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 of Labor Statistics, there were more than half a million […]
Driving In Style
March 26, 2015 By Todd Goldmeyer Trade professionals are highly mobile, meaning they don’t spend a lot of time sitting around in an office, twiddling their thumbs from boredom. Instead, workers in the trades are always on-the-go, heading from one job to the next. It’s a fantastic field to work in if you like to be […]
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, lighting and building control systems in homes, commercial, institutional and […]
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, levels, files, tape measures, flashlights, caulkers, etc. Beyond that there […]
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, air conditioners, refrigeration units and other heating and cooling systems. […]
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 more than one size of pipe wrench, the tool most […]
What Do Plumbers Do?
Service plumbers work with their brains as well as the tools. Almost every home owner has a few essentials tools on hand to cope with plumbing emergencies. Most bathrooms will have a plunger nearby to take care of a clogged toilet or slow drain, and many home owners have a pipe wrench on hand […]