Avoid The Clash Of Generations

One of the reasons it’s such a good time to enter a skilled trade is because the existing work force is rapidly aging. The average trade worker Is over 50 years old and approaching retirement. Employers are desperate to recruit enough replacements.   That’s the good news for young people entering the trades. The bad […]

Start Building Your References

Most employers, whether in the trades or any other field, will likely ask job applicants for references. These would be people who are familiar with your work at past jobs and/or who will testify about your character. Nobody wants to hire someone who’s lazy, a bumbler or troublemaker. A reference gives employers a third-party glimpse […]

Trades Talk – September 2023

September 2023 Explore The Trades Happy Hour Event! Learn about Explore The Trades’ impact over the last 12 months, including the growth of our Skills Lab partnership with Ferguson. Enjoy cocktails and appetizers and mingle with peers from around the country. Join Explore The Trades to celebrate the skilled trades and the importance of vocational […]

Trades Talk – August 2023

August 2023 Explore The Trades Happy Hour Event! Join Explore The Trades for a happy hour fundraiser in Phoenix on October 5th! Learn about our impact over the past 12 months and have time to relax and spend time with peers from around the country. Guests will also have the opportunity to create their own […]

What Do You Want To Do With Your Life?

Don’t feel bad if you don’t know the answer to that question. I didn’t figure it out until well into my 20s. Some people take even longer. Some people are known to switch careers in their 30s or 40s. Since you’re reading this, you are at least thinking about the direction you might go. Obviously, […]

Trades Talk – July 2023

July 2023 Explore The Trades at SkillsUSA 2023 Explore The Trades attended the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, GA from June 19-22, 2023. This conference brought together over 15,000 students, educators, industry vendors and trades professionals from all over the country. These individuals showcased the best in over 100 technical vocations. To […]

Trades Talk – June 2023

June 2023 Visit Explore The Trades at SkillsUSA! The National Leadership and Skills Conference will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA from June 19th to June 23rd. Explore The Trades will be located at booth 129 at the TECHSPO. Stop by for FREE classroom resources and learn more about our new […]

When is the Best Time to Get Into the Trades

There are few truer sayings than “It is never too late.” It’s never too late to change, build better habits, or take on new challenges. It is never too late to launch a career that is fulfilling, stable, and allows you to provide for yourself and your family. The trades offer exactly that type of […]

Here are the Top 10 Trade Schools in the Country

As an alternative to four-year college programs, trade schools offer students an opportunity to gain practical, hands-on training and education in their chosen career path, boasting lower tuition costs and a shorter degree track, allowing graduates to enter the workforce as soon as possible. With an abundance of vocational schools across the country, it can […]

Construction Workforce Shortage Tops Half A Million

The construction industry will need to attract an estimated 546,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2023 to meet the demand for labor, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors, a construction industry trade association. “As the demand for construction services remains high, filling these roles with skilled craft professionals […]