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 inside their homes than normal. This was due to enforced […]
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 you so inclined. First and foremost, you don’t want to […]
Can Robots Do Trade Work?

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 household […]
At Your Service

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 through it all? […]
Look Who’s Still Working

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 […]
True Grit

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 jobs, and […]
STEM is Plumbing

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are the essential building blocks of careers that cross industries and impact our daily lives in different ways. STEM is the foundation of technical careers that advances the next generation of a skilled workforce. STEM is the skilled trades of plumbing, heating, and cooling (HVAC) and electrical. STEM education, […]
STEM is HVAC

STEM is HVAC (Heating and Cooling) Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are the essential building blocks of careers that cross industries and impact our daily lives in different ways. STEM is the foundation of technical careers that advances the next generation of a skilled workforce. STEM is the skilled trades of plumbing, heating, and […]
STEM is Electrical

STEM and the Skilled Trades Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are the essential building blocks of careers that cross industries and impact our daily lives in different ways. STEM is the foundation of technical careers that advances the next generation of a skilled workforce. STEM is the skilled trades of plumbing, heating, and cooling […]
Mother Nature & The Trades
First, the bad news: In August Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath created misery throughout the city of Houston and Texas’ Gulf Coast, delivering unprecedented flooding and property damage. Scores of people lost their lives and tens of thousands of homes were destroyed or severely damaged in Houston alone, more than were expected to be built […]