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Career & Finance Fridays

Employment & Career

Welding

Okay, so my husband used to be a welder, and let me tell you, his stories from those days are really interesting. Through welding he was able to secure some very cool jobs. He worked for a tower crane company, a few gold mines, and even a company that designed and made water parks for kids.

I’ve never even held a welding torch, but being married to someone in the trade certainly made for an interesting life. He never intended to become a welder - it was one of those jobs he kind of fell into and then stayed in. His dad was an engineer at an oil refinery so as a teenager he often had summer jobs at the plant doing labour jobs. 

Through his connections (and his dad’s connections), he was asked to come weld for the summer with a contractor at the refinery after his first year of college. He was making really good money - more than he could ever make doing anything else at that point in his working life. He also found that he was really good at it. Sure, he had a lot to learn, and a lot of schooling to do if he was going to get ticketed, but he was hooked.

Welding’s not just joining metal; it’s like sculpting with fire. To be a good welder requires a lot of knowledge. Ironically welding is kind of known as the trade for the not-so-smart, but it’s one that requires great skill to be good at.

My husband experienced many cool things on the job. For awhile he worked on tower cranes and did repairs. This meant that he was often climbing to the top of a 100 meter crane - talk about scary for those of us who are afraid of heights. He also worked on heavy machinery at a few different mine sites - that equipment is HUGE! Maybe his favorite job was doing the install on a field of wind turbines - it is so cool to be part of something big like that.

Safety is everything in a job like this - because injuries in heavy industry and nothing to mess around with. Thankfully for him, he never experienced a bad injury, but he worked with a few guys who weren’t so fortunate.

He has since left welding —long hours and a bad back from hauling gear took a toll. That career gave him skills, confidence, and stories we still joke about over dinner. If you’re eyeing a hands-on job with solid pay and a chance to create, welding could just be it!

Interesting Fact #1

A trade job refers to any job that uses advanced skills and training acquired through means other than a bachelor's degree. The training and skills are gained through formal education in the form of attending a trade school or through on-the-job experience where you learn from various experts in the areas you are interested in.

SOURCE

Interesting Fact #2

Some people excel when learning on the job instead of spending time in a classroom. Compared to the traditional degree programs offered in various tertiary institutions, learning a trade is relatively inexpensive. Tuition fees in trade schools are reasonably designed to ensure students graduate with little or no debt, which is rare to witness with the students completing colleges and universities. Due to the hefty price tag linked to their programs, most complete learning with huge loan debt to clear. Besides, if you get an opportunity to learn on the job or as an apprentice, you are highly likely to pay nothing to gain the right skills.

SOURCE

Interesting Fact #3

By the time four-year students complete their college studies, a trade skill student is done with the classroom work, graduated, and earning an income. Trade skills courses are short—they take two years or less to complete. And if you decide to train on the job to acquire professional skills, you are more likely to get your certificate fast.

SOURCE

Quote of the day

“Hire a lesser-qualified, but motivated person over a highly-skilled, non-motivated person...EVERY.DAY.” ― Richie Norton

Article of the day - 4 Myths and Facts About the Skilled Trades

Debunking the Biggest Myths Surrounding the Skilled Trades

If you close your eyes and think about the skilled trades, what comes to mind? Is it that:

  1. It’s hard to find a job in skilled trades?
  2. The trades are only for men?
  3. There are no opportunities to advance?
  4. Tradespeople don’t make enough money?

If one of those thoughts popped in your head, you’re not alone. Those are some of the most common myths and misconceptions of the industry — and we’re here to help you debunk them.

Myth 1: It’s hard to find a job in skilled trades.

FACT: Skilled trades jobs are in high demand.

The fact of the matter is there is a huge shortage of skilled tradespeople. In fact, there’s an estimated 430,000 more construction workers are needed in 2021 compared to 2020 according to Associated Builders and Contractors. Adding to that, our friends at Generation T estimate that there will be more than three million total job openings in the skilled trades by 2028.

So, for those of you looking to get into the skilled trades, there’s no better time –– and there’s definitely no shortage of work. Check out some of the most in-demand, entry-level construction roles right now: https://skilled.peopleready.com/its-time-to-consider-careers-in-construction/.

Myth 2: The trades are only for men.

FACT: This is just an outdated stereotype.

Thanks to false narratives like this one, women currently only make up 10% of the construction workforce according to bls.gov. With the need for so many more workers, there’s no better time for women to enter the skilled trades — regardless of the pre-existing stereotypes that exist.

Luckily, organizations around the country are dedicated to and advocating for the success of women in the trades. Here are a couple of the largest:

  1. National Association of Women in Construction
  2. Professional Women in Construction

Myth 3: There are no opportunities to advance.

FACT: There are many opportunities to advance in the trades.

Just like any other career, tradespeople can advance in their roles as well. While most workers start as entry- or apprentice-level workers, many go on to:

  1. Earn journeyman status (four years of experience necessary)
  2. Earn master status (seven or eight years of experience necessary)
  3. Lead teams as foremen, project managers, supervisors or site superintendents
  4. Become their own boss as contractors

There is no one size fits all for career paths in the skilled trades. But one thing’s for sure, there’s definitely room to advance.

Myth 4: Tradespeople don’t make enough money.

FACT: This is a HUGE misconception.

The truth is tradespeople often make just as much or more than their counterparts. Take a look at the average full-time salaries of some of the most in-demand roles in the skilled trades across all skill and experience levels:

Linemen: $68,500
Pipefitter: $62,000
Electrician: $58,500
Plumber $54,000
Heavy Equipment Operator: $50,500
Sheet Metal Mechanic: $50,500
Carpenter: $49,000
Welder: $49,000

Again, it is important to note that these are just the average figures––there are some skilled tradesmen and tradeswomen who make six figure salaries over time.

PeopleReady Skilled Trades works throughout the nation to connect tradespeople –– from highly skilled journeyman to apprentice-level workers and even helpers –– with work across a variety of specialties. To learn more, visit skilled.peopleready.com.

*All salary data is based on 2021 salary profiles from Payscale.com.

Question of the day - Which trade interests you the most?

Employment & Career

Which trade interests you the most?