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An experienced eye can spot a master craft worker from a run-of-the-mill mechanic by one simple observation. Pay attention to the quality and condition of his tools. A master craft worker treasures his tools as much as a musician does his instrument or an artist his paints and brushes. As with anything...

I won’t kid you, in general trade work is not as easy on the body as working behind a desk. If you cherish life as a coach potato, then the trades are not for you. Some jobs are more demanding than others. Construction jobs typically require more physical exertion than service and maintenance work....

It’s that time of year when so many people resolve to lose weight, stop smoking, eat healthier and so on. These are all worthy agendas. For those of you who aspire to become skilled trade workers – or are thinking of doing so – I have some suggestions for equally worthy New Year Resolutions. Pull...

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,...

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...

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 long time ago, I taught essay writing at the University of Illinois in Chicago, my alma mater. Like other instructors, I held office hours for individual student consultations. One day I was meeting with a young man who was the worst student in my class. He had trouble stringing two coherent sentences...

I keep throwing around the term “skilled trades,” and some of you might be thinking: don’t all jobs require skills? To some extent that’s true. But some skills can be acquired pretty easily. The working world is filled with jobs that can be learned well enough for a new hire to perform productively...

Many of your classmates might be headed off to college, but the truth is that a four-year degree isn’t for everyone – and it isn’t needed by everyone – to have a successful career. What seems like a “you’re crazy if you don’t” scenario actually wasn’t even attempted by most high school...