Your go-to source for the latest news, insider advice and inspirational stories from real-life workers enjoying rewarding careers in the skilled trades.
By Matt Hickman A practicing structural engineer for over 20 years, Sean Ticknor knows his way around a job site. He also knows the value of an increasingly rare commodity that these job sites need
Destiny Powell learned at an early age that some people need more help than others. For example, her mother has several medical conditions — and that amplified her desire to help others get the best
From the moment Olivia McCleery fired up the torch and started learning how to use heat and electrical currents to bond metals together, she was hooked.
By Jodi Helmer Being handed a pink slip is devastating. It’s even worse if you were laid off due to COVID-related closures, automation or overseas outsourcing because it likely means the career you knew is
By Daniel Bortz Need a good job, fast? America’s skilled labor shortage means plenty of companies have skilled trade jobs sitting empty, even now. And it’s possible to get some of those jobs with less
Adolfo Terrero wasn’t always an electrician, but thanks to an on-the-job training program he’s learned how to do everything from installing breakers to wiring electricity for an entire house. He’s now growing in his career
When Matthew McVay was younger, he hopped around between jobs. He was a bartender, a salesman, even a tree farmer. But he’s had the most joy and success with the career he eventually landed on
Drake Davis's love for fixing things started early. He first applied this energy to restoring tractors, including one his grandfather gave him. He took it apart and rebuilt it from scratch. He turned that into
By Michael d’Estries For decades, earning a bachelor’s degree has been seen as the golden ticket to achieving the American Dream, a kind of cure-all checkbox that guarantees economic success. The reality is far less
By Katherine Gustafson America has a skills problem, or more accurately, a massive skills gap. There are too many open jobs and too many job hunters with skills that don’t match up. Even those who
By Benyamin Cohen What do an occupational therapy assistant, a solar panel installer and an app developer have in common? They all work in skilled trades jobs that are among the fastest-growing jobs in America
By Mary Lou Jay After working in a family automotive business for a year, Nick Baughman wanted a change. “I started looking at what the job market was, and I kept seeing openings for diesel
Patrice Hayes has been a teacher assistant for 14 years, but the task of helping young children “figure out life skills” never gets old. Why did you get into this line of work? And did
David Vanderveen likes to analyze processes so he can make them better. That eye for efficiency has served him well at Rittal North America in Urbana, Ohio, where he has worked for six years and
By Greg Daugherty Community college may be the biggest bargain in American education, but that doesn’t mean it’s always affordable. Tuition and fees for public, in-district community colleges currently average $3,730 a year according to
By Sarah Hicks What do you want out of a job? For most people, the answers are simple: A job that pays well. A job that holds your interest. A job that has potential for
