The benefits of pursuing the skilled trades aren’t subjective. As the Metropolitan Builders Association points out, skilled trades are worthy of your pursuit because of the following undeniable facts:

  • Trade School is Less Expensive & Shorter

“A technical college is cheaper and shorter than a traditional 4-year degree. The average bachelor’s degree will likely cost more than $100,000– and closer to $150k if completely financed through loans. Training programs for the skilled trades typically last 6 months to 2 years and will cost about $30,000.”

  • Skilled Trades Pay Well

“Paychecks for trade jobs are either the same or more than other careers. A bachelors degree is not necessary to have a well-paying career!”

  • Job Security

“Jobs in the trades simply cannot be outsourced. While jobs in the information, technology, or customer service sectors can always be contracted out, the careers that require literal hands-on work cannot be.”

  • Job Availability

“Trades jobs are not only very secure, there’s a whole lot of openings for them as well. In the next 15 years, millions more tradespeople will be retiring than white collar professionals.”

Speak Up for Skilled Trades

Skilled trades are the backbone of life as you know it. Your home: Built with skilled trades. Your roads: Built with skilled trades. Your vehicle: Built with skilled trades. Your school: Built with skilled trades. Your favorite restaurant: Built with skilled trades. Skilled trades are responsible for everything from your indoor plumbing and refrigeration to every building and vehicle in your town. 

The importance of skilled trades cannot be overstated, and yet, they too often receive no mention at all. High schools facilitate college fairs and welcome college visits, but are the same resources and excitement used to facilitate skilled trades fairs and skilled trades shadowing? Countless vehicles have a ‘Proud Parent of a ___ College Student” decal, but where is the ‘Proud Parent of a Future Welder” decal? What about the local newspapers? Do they proudly share the pictures of youth entering the skilled trades as readily as they do for the youth pursuing college? 

The argument is never about whether college deserves support and admiration; the discussion is about the need for skilled trades to be supported and admired at the same level as college. The world needs youth proudly marching down different post-high school paths, not all funneled onto the college path. 

If one day the world finds itself with no one to fix their toilets, patch their roofs, refrigerate their food, repair their vehicles, or offer electricity, they’ll have no one to blame but themselves. Skilled trades don’t just matter; they are the fabric of life as you know it. Support skilled trades now, or be forced to watch the world suffer later.