Explore articles tagged with "skilled trades" to find relevant resources about trade education and career development.
37 articles found
The full electrician career map: entry requirements, the apprenticeship, and the five branches after journeyman — what each pays and which are actually growing.
A working tech's guide to NATE certification: Traditional vs CHP-5 pathway, the full specialty exam menu, real fees, the manufacturer rules that quietly require it (Carrier's 50% Factory Authorized Dealer rule), and the honest math on when the credential earns back its cost.
The viral 'underwater welders die at 15%' headline and the '$300K salary' headline are both wrong. What AWS, BLS, NIOSH, and OSHA actually report about pay, training cost, fatality rates, and the wet-vs-dry hyperbaric career split — for welders evaluating the highest-paid, highest-risk niche in the trade.
A side-by-side career comparison of commercial and residential HVAC for technicians choosing where to specialize. The pay differential, the on-call and overtime profile, the BAS controls premium, the burnout data behind the industry's 110,000-tech shortage, and the realistic career ladders on each side.
Trade school, IBEW/NECA union apprenticeship, or non-union ABC/IEC route — the three real paths to electrician licensure compared on cost, timeline, pay progression, and long-term earnings.
How pipeline welders actually earn $100K+: the Local 798 wage scale decoded, the 6G test and API 1104 standard, the rig-welder pay structure, and the honest tradeoffs of a life on the road.
Heat pumps are the fastest-growing HVAC equipment category and federal/state incentives have changed which technicians get hired. A practical guide to the IRA's HEAR rebate program, the 25C tax credit (now expired), AHRI shipment trends, the DOE Energy Skilled training designation, NATE Heat Pump specialty pay, and how new HVAC techs should position themselves for heat pump work.
A step-by-step guide to becoming a licensed plumber — how the 4–5 year apprenticeship works, how to choose between UA union and PHCC/ABC non-union paths, what it takes to earn journeyman and master licenses, and what you earn at each stage.
A step-by-step guide to becoming a Class A CDL truck driver — the ELDT training requirement, how to choose between paid company-sponsored training and a private CDL school, what you earn as a solo driver, and when (or whether) to go owner-operator.
A step-by-step guide to becoming a welder — comparing trade school, community college, and apprenticeship paths, the AWS certification structure including D1.1 structural, and what welders earn from first-year helper to pipeline and specialty rates.
A step-by-step guide to becoming a licensed electrician — how the 4–5 year apprenticeship works, how to choose between IBEW/NECA union and non-union paths, what it takes to earn journeyman and master licenses, and what you earn at each stage.
A step-by-step guide to becoming an HVAC technician — covering school vs apprenticeship, the EPA Section 608 certification, NATE credentials, state licensure, and what you earn from apprentice to senior tech across the first five years.
A practical step-by-step guide to becoming a firefighter with no experience — covering EMT prerequisites, the CPAT, academy options, NFPA 1001 certification, the hiring gauntlet, and what you earn at each stage.
Boilermakers earn a median $73,340/year building and maintaining the pressure vessels, tanks, and industrial systems that keep power plants, refineries, and LNG terminals running. Here's what the career actually looks like — pay, training, outlook, and how to get started.
Bricklayers, blockmasons, and stonemasons earn a median $56,600/year with ~20,700 openings projected annually. Here's what the career looks like — pay, training paths, shortage drivers, and how to get started.
Pipefitters earned a median $62,970/yr (BLS 2024) with top earners above $105,150. Learn the path, the pay, and why LNG and data centers are fueling demand.
Elevator mechanics earn a $106,580 BLS median — the only trade with a six-figure median wage. IUEC union pay scales, NEIEP apprenticeship odds, and pay by state.
The White House talks up trade careers, but what's actually changed? From Workforce Pell Grants and the 1-million apprenticeship push to Job Corps closures and $1.6 billion in cuts, here's the full picture for prospective trade students.
A practical, data-driven guide to negotiating higher pay in the skilled trades — covering when to ask, what to say, how union and non-union negotiations differ, and why the current labor shortage gives tradespeople real leverage.
The U.S. needs to scale from 245,000 public charging ports to 2.2 million by 2030. Here's how electricians are turning $7.5 billion in federal infrastructure funding into high-demand careers installing EV charging stations.