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Why Right Now is the Best Time to Work in the Trades

Why Right Now is the Best Time to Work in the Trades

For the past couple of decades, blue collar jobs have been stereotyped as lowly when compared to white collared jobs. Why? It was simply because getting a white collar job became easier. College was cheaper and it was easier to get a job with a bachelor’s degree.

However, this has changed in the past couple of years. After the economy took a nosedive, jobs became much harder to find. College became much more expensive and many people became unemployed. As the cost of college and unemployment rose, this led many people to turn back to the trades. People began to realize that working a trade job could have as many as (or even more) benefits as working a white collar job.

If you needed some reasons on why now is the best time to work in the trades, keep reading:

1. Skilled tradesmen and women are in high demand.

In today’s society, there is a shortage of skilled tradespeople. As the Baby Boomers begin to retire, many companies have started to turn to millennials as potential replacements. This means that there are millions of job opportunities available all over the world for those who are skilled in a trade. Because many millennials are not well-trained in skills outside of the ones learned in school, there is a high demand for people who have valuable trade skills.

 

2. Trade jobs are well-paying (and may even pay more than some white collar jobs).

Because of the lack of skilled tradespeople, many companies have started to offer more money as an incentive to recruit more workers. For example, according to Chron, the median wage for welders was $16.13 in 2008, but rose to be $24.38 per hour. According to PayScale, some blue collar jobs have higher salaries than their white collar counterparts. In the UK, some companies have even started to offer much higher salaries for those willing to work a trade job.

 

3. Trade workers will have the power to be their own boss.

By working in a trade, workers will be able to set their own schedules. There is no such thing as micromanagement or a set amount of required hours. Trade workers are free to manage themselves and are able to schedule their own hours. They are also able to take as many holidays and weekends off as they wish. Working in a trade allows workers to be their own boss – and who wouldn’t like that?

 

4. Trade workers that have mastered a skill can potentially have complete job security.

By mastering an in-demand skill, trade workers are guaranteed to never be out of work. Households typically need electricians and plumbers. Building corporations are typically always on the lookout for more construction workers and carpenter. Skilled labor is constantly needed, so there will never be a shortage of work.

 

5. Trade school is cheaper than a 4-year college.

Getting a degree at trade school is significantly cheaper when compared to the cost of getting a bachelor’s degree at a 4-year university. According to The Simple Dollar, the average trade school is only $33,000 as compared to the cost of $127,000 for a bachelor’s degree. That’s a huge difference! Not only that, but trade school workers can even get work through apprenticeships or certifications. That’s a lot of savings!
There’s nothing to be ashamed about when it comes to pursuing a career in the trades. Trade jobs are just as important as white collar jobs, and right now is the best time to pursue a trade career.

So what are you waiting for? If you are willing to learn a new skill or have prior knowledge of some trade skills, put them to good use!