Smart Homes Need Smart Plumbers
Plumbing is perhaps the least glamorous of all the skilled trades, subjected to endless potty humor. That is unfair, because plumbing is also the most fundamental of all the trades. Long before humans discovered electricity or devised central HVAC, ancient civilizations in Greece and Rome recognized that waste disposal is critical to human well-being and […]
Smart Homes Need Smart Electricians
It’s hard to believe that there are still people alive who grew up without electricity in their homes. Think of what life was like without lights that turn on and off with the flick of a switch, without refrigerators, toasters, microwave ovens and so many other electrical appliances, without outlets in every room of the […]
Smart Homes Need Smart HVAC/R Technicians
The human race has come a long way from fireplaces and stoves to keep warm and hand-held fans to cool off. For more than a century we have learned to harness the physical properties of air and water to keep us warm in winter and cool in summer. Doing so has required the use of […]
Smart Homes Need Smart Technicians
“Wrench jockey” is a somewhat insulting term sometimes used to describe a trade worker. These days, the terminology is not only unkind but off the mark. Sure, wrenches, screwdrivers and other manual tools are still essential components of a toolbox, but the tools of the skilled trades are constantly evolving to include sophisticated electronic instrumentation […]
Trade Workers Need To Build Trust
Too much of the general public does not hold trade workers in high esteem. It’s a major reason why so many young people resist entering the trades. The main reason why so many people harbor negative feelings about trade workers is because of bad experiences dealing with some. Too many home owners have dealt with […]
A Flip Side Of The Skilled Labor Shortage
In these blogs, I frequently detail the nationwide shortage of skilled trade workers. However, I ought to make it clear that not every trade employer faces that dilemma. I’ve spoken to quite a few trade employers who tell me they have no trouble filling their jobs and are happy with the people they hire. Who […]
College Continues to Lose Luster
The number of high school graduates that enroll in college continues to drop. Data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows that in 2021 around 17.5 million students were enrolled in two- or four-year colleges and universities, a 3.2% decline from 2020 and the largest two-year decline on record. Although much of the dramatic […]
Talking Shop With A Trade Worker
In my last blog, I cited a survey showing 83% of trade workers expressed satisfaction with their work. It reminded me of conversations I had with one of them. Before Covid put an end to such fun, I used to gather with several friends to form a team for a weekly Trivial Night contest at […]
Most Trade Workers Love Their Jobs
An annual survey released in September found that 83% of skilled trade workers expressed satisfaction with their choice of work. This stands in contrast with numerous other studies that show workers in many other fields discontented with their jobs, a long-term trend that has been aggravated by the Covid pandemic. Skilled trade workers were attracted […]
The Skilled Labor Shortage By The Numbers
A common theme addressed in this blog is the nationwide shortage of skilled trade workers and the opportunities that spring from it for people who do opt for a career in the trades. Hardly a week passes when I don’t come across some startling information about this shortage. For instance, buried within an article in […]