Blueprints to Success: Choose a Career in the Skilled Trades
Author: Aileen Dosev
Imagine a successful career. Job security, a high salary and an irreplaceable skillset.
You might picture a banker or lawyer typing away in a skyscraper. But as college graduates struggle to find jobs post-graduation, America’s next top workers might be those building skyscrapers.
America faces unprecedented demand for skilled trades labor. Employers hungry for talent and a boom of government infrastructure spending have sparked renewed interest in the trades, promising job seekers rewarding careers without college debt.
The skilled trades encompass a wide range of professions that require advanced training and technical knowledge. From electrical, HVAC and plumbing systems to industrial mechanics, trades professionals can master their craft through any combination of vocational schooling, on-the-job training like apprenticeships, internships or other helper programs. A career in the skilled trades can be highly rewarding for ambitious professionals looking to see the impact of their work or even build the future with their own hands. And right now, employers can’t get enough of them.
AMERICA IS HUNGRY FOR SKILLED TRADESPEOPLE
There were more than 249,000 empty positions in the construction industry as of October 2024, with project backlogs at their highest in four years. Generations of skilled tradespeople are nearing retirement age and there are simply not enough new professionals entering the trades to replace them without leaving a significant gap. Infrastructure spending isn’t enough; we need boots on the ground to make it happen.
These in-demand jobs offer competitive wages, attractive benefits and advancement opportunities, so why does the shortage remain?
One driver is the lingering idea that professional success only (and automatically) comes with a four-year degree. Beginning in the 1960s, funds were pulled from vocational programs and funneled into traditional education. Programs like the 1979 Guaranteed Student Loan Improvement Act made college more affordable and boosted enrollment. However, this emphasis on four-year degrees, combined with the decision to consider “shop” programs “non-core” under the No Child Left Behind Act, contributed to an impression of a career in the trades as a fallback option for those struggling to succeed, rather than a viable career path in itself.
While college is still a good option, it’s not for everyone. Rising tuition costs and spiraling debt are straining students across all income levels. Studies show that over half of college grads work jobs that don’t even require the degree they paid for, throwing the return on investment of college into question. For many young adults, a career in the trades means avoiding a lifetime of debt payments, quicker entry into the workforce and a four-year head start on earnings.
TRADESPEOPLE ARE HAPPY AND HIGHLY PAID
Contrary to popular belief, skilled trade jobs offer competitive salaries often rivalling (if not exceeding) those for many white-collar jobs. Since 2022, hourly earnings for construction workers have risen faster than average.
“They’re making more money,” Brian Turmail, Vice President of public affairs and strategic initiatives at Associated General Contractors of America, describes construction as a worker’s market. “The construction industry is now paying 80% more than the average non-farm job in the United States.”
Skilled trades jobs also come with great benefits, including flexible hours, 401k plans and extensive health, disability and life insurance policies. Many tradespeople go on to lead teams or start their own businesses.
All of this is leading to higher-than-average job satisfaction. In a survey of skilled trade professionals, 87% said they would choose the same career again. 94% would encourage their children and family to enter the skilled trades. Tangible results, creative problem-solving and good pay all make the trades incredibly rewarding careers for those who pursue them.
ENGAGING THE NEXT GENERATION WORKFORCE
If we’re going to close the gap in skilled trades, we must increase awareness through experience. Around the nation, high schools and unions are beginning to offer trades programs and apprenticeships to help students make informed decisions about pursuing the trades.
Half an hour away from Harris headquarters is Minnetonka High School, host of the MOMENTUM design and skilled trades program. Students can choose from over 30 courses in manufacturing, construction systems and design featuring guest speakers, connection to local businesses, and on-ramps to trade and technical schools. Through this initiative, high school staff and the Trades Advisory Board are strengthening connections with local companies looking to train students, fill apprenticeships, and hire dedicated MHS students and recent graduates.
Labor unions are also engaging the new generation of trades workers. LIUNA, the Laborers’ International Union of North America, organizes pre-apprenticeship programs to bring more graduates into well-paying jobs. Engaging underrepresented groups in construction, LIUNA Spokeswoman Lisa Martin says, is critical to getting projects fully staffed.
“Women are half the workforce, and yet they’re somewhere around 6% to 7% of the craft workforce […] if we can find a way to increase those percentages, we won’t even be talking about labor shortages.”
At Harris, we’re making strides to provide the next generation of tradespeople with practical experience and career opportunities. Our new PM Rotational Training Program provides valuable tools, resources and experience for project manager trainees, building successful leaders of tomorrow’s biggest projects. Our 14 office sites also offer apprenticeship programs in areas such as plumbing, piping and preconstruction for students in nine states. We also provide valuable life-skills training to underprivileged youths preparing for their first job through Lake Street Works.
Facing the highest demand in decades, young people shouldn’t pass over the opportunity to build a prosperous future in a highly rewarding and lucrative career pathway.
Yet surveys show that only 32% of high schoolers have access to shop classes (coursework that exposes bright minds to construction, manufacturing, and design). This, coupled with continued social and perhaps even familial pressure to attend four-year colleges for a “more successful career” is cutting today’s youth off from a world of professional opportunity. Beyond that? It’s keeping our industry from capitalizing on some of what could be tomorrow’s greatest talent.
Until youth get training and support, the shortage in workers will remain.
If you or someone you know has an interest in the skilled trades, check out our many career development opportunities at harriscompany.com/careers.
Categories: Blog