Why Do So Many People Go To College?
Many social pressures compel people to go to college whether they want to or not, whether they can afford to or not. This wasn’t always the case. Prior to World War II, less than 5% of American adults held a college degree. Only jobs at the highest professional levels required one. A big change occurred […]
What’s In It For Them?
In my last blog, I pointed out that in many cases no experience is necessary for people looking at a trade career. Many employers, trade service firms in particular, place a higher value on personality than past experience. As long as you have a mechanical aptitude, they can train you in a relatively short time […]
The Trades Via A Back Door
Many people who enter the trades go in through the back door. By that I mean they had no intention of looking for a job in the trades, but a job found them. How does that happen? Well, there is a severe shortage of skilled trade workers and that causes many employers to develop their […]
College vs A Trade: You Can Do Both
Many people in the trades express admiration for the trade apprenticeship programs in Germany and some other European countries. As this article points out, whereas in Germany some 60% of young people train as apprentices in various skilled trades, the comparable number in America is only 5%. That’s a stark difference, yet upon closer examination […]
Is There A Trade School Trade-Off? Yes, But Only Benefits!
It’s college’s “ugly stepsister.” Many students don’t even consider trade schools as a next-step after high school. Even parents register concerns due to completely misplaced ideas and stereotypes about career opportunities after completion. The truth is that trade schools are ideal for some students – especially when the career path they choose to follow includes […]
Trade Work Will Not Grow Obsolete
Recently I read an article about razor blade companies suffering sales declines due to the popularity of beards in our culture. That got me thinking about so many businesses and professions that are no longer around due to new technologies or cultural changes. Think about how demand shrank for blacksmiths, stable hands and wagon makers […]
How To Get Rich
Different people may have different ideas of what it means to be wealthy. To some people, it may mean being worth billions of dollars, like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos or other high-tech entrepreneurs. To reach that level, you need to invent something most of the world wants to buy or start a revolutionary new business. […]
The Trades Offer Plenty Of Room For Advancement
When you think about a career in the trades, don’t think that means turning wrenches for the rest of your working life. The skilled trades offer plenty of opportunity for advancement in positions that challenge your intellect, as well as managerial and leadership abilities. As you gain experience in a skilled trade, new opportunities constantly […]
No Trade Experience? No Problem
I had a conversation with a young man recently who expressed interest in exploring the plumbing or HVAC trades. He had no experience in those trades, though he was mechanically inclined and always working around the house fixing and building things. But he had a full-time job and a family to support, and neither the […]
What’s The Difference Between A Job and a Career?
It’s your lucky day. For the TLDNR (‘too long, did not read’) among us, the answer to the question posed by the article’s title can be boiled down to this: Jobs are the building blocks of a career. Interested in exploring this a little deeper? Read on. Beyond the Words We all should be comfortable with […]