Stable career fields
Skilled-trade jobs are lucrative, play vital role in today’s world
D o you really have to shell out $100,000 over four years (the average cost of a college degree, according to the National Center for Education Statistics) in order to get a job that will pay enough to support you and your family throughout your lifetime? Are quality-paying job opportunities solely confined to careers that require years of study and potential student-loan debt?
A coalition of building-and-construction-industry organizations, companies and celebrities is answering those questions with a resounding “no.”
“We’ve heard a lot about the shortage of skilled STEM and health care workers, and a lot less about the looming shortfall of skilled trade workers,” said Jeannette Long, vice president of marketing communications for LIXIL Americas, which comprises kitchen and bath brands American Standard, DXV and GROHE.
American Standard is a founding sponsor of the This Old House Generation Next program, which promotes skilled trade careers.
“Yet Bureau of Labor Statistics data tells us that millions of trade-industry jobs — such as plumbers, electricians, carpenters — will go unfilled this year because there simply aren’t enough skilled workers to fill them,” she said. “These jobs offer a good, steady income, and learning how to do them doesn’t require candidates to go into thousands of dollars of debt.”
Another initiative that promotes skilled trade jobs is the Mike Rowe WORKS Foundation, run by none other than the popular host of the Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs. This organization sponsors scholarships to help people learn the skills they need for a variety of trade occupations. Careers in the skilled labor trades offer many advantages, including the ability to enter a profession quickly, spend less money on educational costs and have the opportunity to turn a talent or interest into a paying career in a field where demand is strong.
Here are six trade jobs that will experience significant growth over the next several years, according to the BLS’ Occupational Outlook Handbook.
PLUMBERS
With 12 percent growth anticipated, the demand for plumbers will grow faster than average. The median salary for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters is about $51,000 per year. Plumbing work requires a high school diploma and an apprenticeship.
BRICKLAYERS
By 2024, the demand for bricklayers will grow much faster than average, at a 15 percent projected increase rate. A high school diploma or equivalent is required, with math, mechanical drawing and vocational education considered helpful, according to the BLS. You can also take basic masonry programs through a technical school, many of which also offer apprenticeship programs. The median annual salary is just over $41,000.
CARPENTERS
The number of available carpentry jobs will rise 6 percent between now and 2024. With a median pay of nearly $44,000 per year, carpentry work requires a high school diploma and on-the-job training through an apprenticeship.
INSULATION INSTALLERS
In another building-related trade that is expected to grow faster than national averages, insulation workers install and replace insulation materials that help homes and buildings maintain their temperatures and improve energy efficiency. The median salary of about $39,000 per year requires a high school diploma and on-the-job training.
ELECTRICIANS
A high school diploma, an apprenticeship and on-the-job training can gain you access to a career as an electrician. The demand for electricians is expected to grow 14 percent over the next seven years, much faster than the average of all other careers. The median annual salary is nearly $53,000.
LINE WORKERS
Line workers install or repair electrical power and telecommunications systems. Growth in the industry is expected to be average, but the jobs pay well, with a median annual salary of more than $62,000. To become a line worker, you need a high school degree or equivalent, an apprenticeship and long-term on-the-job training.
“We need a new generation of talented women and men who aspire to viable trade professions,” Long said. “Ultimately, these generations of professionals hold great power to shape our future, as they create and protect the products and systems that keep our homes and communities safe, healthy, comfortable and growing.”
To learn more about Generation
Next, visit www.thisoldhouse.com.