Busted - 5 Myths About the Skilled Trades
January 11, 2023
January 11, 2023
Many young people or individuals contemplating a career switch think seriously about entering the skilled trades. Maybe they love to work with their hands or are looking for a skill that will catapult them to a meaningful career with the option to open their own business one day. However, it’s hard to ignore the fact that many people have developed opinions about these careers that are simply based on myths about skilled trades rather than facts.
Today, we’d like to break down some of these myths to explore the reality behind them. Then, we’ll show why some of the most in-demand skilled trades remain an excellent career path for anyone considering this next step.
Many popular myths about the skilled trades have proliferated over the years. Many people believe these professions are exhausting, require tons of travel, and are very restricting to beginners. This leads many young people to default to a four-year college or university degree after high school.
While there are many benefits to getting a four-year post-secondary degree, it’s not the right choice for everyone. On average, more than 32% of undergrads drop out at some point during their degree program, leaving them with tens of thousands of dollars in debt and no degree to show for it. It’s estimated that 38.6% of student debtors in the United States have no degree six years after entering college, despite still owing money.
Fortunately, there are lots of other choices available.
When you’re making a choice about your career, it’s vital to ensure you’re working with facts, rather than outdated opinions or myths.
Let’s explore some of the most popular myths about the skilled trades that people still believe. Then we’ll explain why and how people have gotten it all so wrong.
While it’s true that many skilled trade jobs involve physical exertion and hard manual labor, not all of them require this type of physicality. Sure, if you’re working as a roofer or a construction worker, you can expect to be physically active for most of your day. However, there are lots of other jobs that do not involve this level of full-body effort.
If you’d prefer to work primarily with your hands, operating machinery or maintaining technology like alarms, smart plugs, or timers are all jobs that require minimal physical exertion.
Additionally, technological advances have allowed many skilled tradespeople to do their work assisted by robots, AI, and other tech that minimizes physical effort. Instead of doing the actions themselves, they are responsible for using, managing, and maintaining the sophisticated technology that physically does the work for them.
While many individual tradespeople and companies cover a wide service area, you should always clarify with your employer about how much travel will be required. Many workers love the independence of traveling from job site to job site, but it’s not mandatory.
There’s always a need for skilled trade workers to travel to different cities for different jobs. If you’d like the opportunity to travel and see new places on your employer’s dime, these travel jobs often pay substantially more than non-travel jobs.
However, if you’d prefer to stay closer to home, many skilled trades are always in demand locally. These would not require long trips. Plus, since many skilled trades offer flexible hours and scheduling, so you could choose to travel when you can and stay closer to home the rest of the time.
One of the most frustrating and persistent myths about the skilled trades is that they are only for men, or that a woman would not be able to qualify for a job in this field. This could not be further from the truth.
Unfortunately, what is true is that today 96% of skilled trades workers in the United States are male. However, employers are actively working to dismantle the attitudes and policies that have made it challenging for women to break into this field. They’re working diligently to create a hospitable environment that appeals to the next generation of workers, including more women.
Additionally, technology is also helping to reduce the physical labor required in some trades, making it easier for people of all different abilities to get involved.
Starting in a new field is always intimidating. While there’s a lot that beginners have to learn, there is absolutely no expectation that new skilled trades workers come in knowing how to start.
Employers want people who are willing to work hard and have a positive attitude. They can teach the skills, but internal character traits are much more important. New employees who are willing and eager to learn, collaborate well with their colleagues, and are open to new ideas are always in demand.
While the occasional long work day is par for the course in any field, skilled trades jobs tend to have clearly defined hours. This means you can easily build a schedule and a life around an expected set of hours.
Plus, this field is not conducive to taking work home with you. Most of the time, you can come home from a day of work and not worry about being connected to your phone or email non-stop. You’re not on-call like so many office jobs – instead, you get to put your tools down and decompress from your day without thinking about work.
When you’re choosing a path for schooling or exploring a different career, the last thing you want is for your judgment to be clouded by myths and outdated information.
TradeFoundry offers the most up-to-date information on pursuing a career in the skilled trades, along with resources to help you chart a path forward. Join today (LINK) to explore this dynamic platform and connect with other like-minded people.
