The skilled trade industry suffers from a lack of available labor. Luckily, more people are looking for how to get in a trade. Learning how to get into a trade will help you to find a career field in one of the skilled trades that pays well, offers great benefits packages, and gives you growth opportunities. Skilled trades are the backbone of the economy and the country. Skilled trades help to build homes, manage infrastructure, and more. Here is how to get into a trade you are interested in.
HVAC Work
Heating and air conditioning are always a needed service. HVAC technicians are always in demand and always well paid. The HVAC industry is looking for people that are willing to learn the trade and stick around for a while. Within the HVAC industry, you will find both commercial and residential positions. Here is how to get in a trade in the HVAC industry:
- Go to a trade school. You can start your career in the HVAC industry by attending a trade school. Many community colleges offer HVAC classes with the goal of certification.
- Apprentice with an HVAC company. Many companies will hire you with zero experience and education as an apprentice. You will start from the bottom and move up the ladder as you become more experienced.
- Take an online course. There are online courses that can prepare you to become an HVAC technician.
The path of how to get in a trade job in the HVAC industry can vary, but in the end, the results are the same. You will have a great job that pays well and provides great benefits. While heating inspections may not seem like a glamorous way to make a living, it can be a very lucrative, interesting career path.
Plumbing
Plumbing companies are always actively hiring. How to get in a trade job at a plumbing company can vary. Most people that enter the plumbing industry start at a trade school, but that is not the only option. Again, like the HVAC industry, apprenticeships are available. You just have to decide which path is right for you.
Plumbers have an interesting job that most people highly appreciate. Learning how to get in a trade job in the plumbing industry is a great option if you want to work in an exciting field where your work will always change. You will learn about pipe inspection, pipe repair, how systems work, and even how to replumb a whole house.
Working with a plumbing company comes with these benefits:
- You will never be bored. Plumbers stay busy answering plumbing emergencies.
- Your job will be interesting. You never know what you may do in a day. Today it may be a plumbing inspection, and tomorrow it may replace an entire drain system.
- You won’t be stuck in an office. You will meet new people who are very happy to see you.
A plumbing career can be a very lucrative career. Many people that start with a search for how to get in a trade job with a plumbing company wind up owning their own business someday. The potential for growth is unlimited. If you are looking for how to get in a trade that will provide you with a great career, plumbing is the right choice.
Flooring Services
Flooring is an excellent career field. If you want to know how to get in a trade job in the flooring industry, all you have to do is be willing to learn. Most everyone working in the flooring industry has started as an apprentice. You initially start carrying tools, familiarizing yourself with how you use the tools, and assisting the master floorer. Before you know it, you will understand the different flooring types, like resilient athletic flooring and hardwoods, and how to install them all.
Flooring is a great industry to get into because there is always a need for new floors. You can’t ask for an easier way to get into an industry than through an apprenticeship or working as an assistant. You get paid to train and learn while you earn. It is the perfect opportunity for anyone that doesn’t want to go through the certification process that you need to go through for HVAC or the plumbing industry.
If you want to get right to work, the flooring industry can be the perfect place for you. Here is how to get in a trade job in the flooring industry:
- Call around to different flooring companies to see if they are hiring. About 80% of open positions in this industry are not listed at online job sites. You have to take the initiative and call.
- Start studying. Learn more about the industry and the tools that are used. When you go for your interview you will be able to make a good impression.
- Check out local listings for job opportunities. Scour the web for flooring companies in your area and check out their website. Many companies list open positions on their website.
You want to make a great impression at your interview by being enthusiastic about getting the job. Sharing some of the information that you learned about the industry can endear you to the interviewer and make you a stand-out candidate. Also, keep in mind slow and steady wins the race in a trade industry job. That means you must be willing to take directions and learn during the early days until you hone your skills.
Roofing Work
Many people make the mistake of thinking that roofing requires affixing shingles to a roof. While it is true shingles play a pivotal role in the construction of a roof, roof systems are complex. Managing roof repairs, replacement, and new installations requires a special skill set. Additionally, roofing is a dangerous job that requires specific techniques to ensure safety.
Roofers make good money and often have a complete benefits package because they deserve it. They work hard and are experts on how to protect properties with roofing materials. How to get in a trade job with a roofing company varies. Here are some paths to becoming a roofer:
- You can learn about roofing at a trade school.
- You can apprentice as a roofer.
- You can start as a laborer.
Whichever path you choose, it will be beneficial. For example, if you decide that you don’t necessarily want to commit to an apprenticeship but instead choose to be a roofing laborer, you will learn about the roofing trade, techniques, and the tools that are used for roofing.
You can go to a trade school and learn the technical aspects of roofing, but you will still need some on-the-job training. In all cases, the end goal is to create a career in roofing that will provide you with an excellent paycheck and benefits.
Pest Control
Pest control services are in demand. Pest control specialists serve residential properties, commercial properties, industrial properties, agricultural concerns, and municipal properties. These professionals manage a wide range of pest control processes. If you are looking for how to get in a trade in the pest control industry, there are a few things you need to know.
Pest control professionals are certified professionals. There is both bookwork and on-the-job training that is necessary to gain access to this industry. There is a lot of safety measures that need to be taken for pest control that you will learn about through both formal education and on-the-job training.
Here is how to get in a trade job in the pest control industry:
- Formal education is a must. Pest control technicians have to have formal education to learn about the chemicals used. The risk factors of the chemicals and the proper use of chemicals.
- On the job training. Once the formal education part is done you will need to work with a company that can further your education through on the job training.
- You will need to get certified. At some point to continue to earn and grow in the pest control industry you will need to get certified.
Safety is a priority in this industry which is why all the training and education is a must. However, all the training and certification pays off nicely and is reflected in the salary you will receive. Your pay grows as your education and certification evolves. The more you know the more you are paid.
Pool Repairs and Building
Pool repair services are highly sought after. This is a niche trade that often falls under the heading of plumbers but it is a stand alone trade. Working on pools, installing pools, and maintaining pools is a specialty skill set that many plumbers are not taught. This can be a great career field for anyone that enjoys a challenge and wants to work primarily outdoors (some people do have indoor pools that need repair).
Here is how to get in a trade job in the pool repair industry:
- Go to school. Typically you will find “pool repair” classes online through the manufacturer of certain systems.
- Get a job with a pool company. Pool companies are always hiring during the busy season when they need more hands on deck.
- Get a job with a pool manufacturer. Working directly for the manufacturer can teach you all you need to know about pool repair.
Pool repair is a niche trade that requires very specific skills. If you love to tinker with things to diagnose problems and make repairs you will love working in this trade. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are less than 5,000 pool repair companies across the entire United States. This niche trade and the lack of availability of trade specialists can mean you will never have to worry about finding a job again.
Residential and Commercial Moving
The idea that all you need to become one of the local movers is a strong back, is way off. To be a good mover you need a specialized skill set. Yes, it helps if you have a strong back, but that is not the only requirement. You need to develop the skills that will ensure your customers’ goods arrive in top condition.
Movers move furnishings, appliances, and fragile items as well. Developing the skill set you need to be successful in this trade comes from on the job training. Working with experienced movers and learning the techniques they use is how to get in a trade job in the moving industry.
Certain things can’t be taught in a classroom like how to efficiently pack a moving truck or how to safely lift and move large bulky items. There are tools of the trade for moving that make the process easier and safer that you will need to learn about. Every moving company is willing to take on new inexperienced people to help them learn the trade. All you have to do is start calling your local moving companies and ask if they are hiring.
The Fence Trade
Working for a fencing company is a great opportunity to learn the necessary skills to go out on your own someday. Fences are always needed. Commercial properties need fences, residential properties need fences, industrial properties and more, all need fences. There is certainly not a lack of work in this field.
If you are wondering how to get in a trade job for a fencing company, the answer is simple, call. Call local fencing companies to learn if they are hiring. Then apply, and learn all that you can about the process.
There are literally thousands of jobs in the trade industry. Grease trap cleanings is a trade job, electrical work is a trade job, barbering, bricklaying, the list is extensive. Your first step to finding a job in a trade that you will thrive in is figuring out which trade you are interested in and how to get in a trade job in that field.
Take the first step today. Learn how to get into a trade job that interests you.
