Just over 10 years ago, when I graduated from college with my shiny new journalism degree in hand, never in a million years did I think I would be writing about the skilled trades — first HVAC, now plumbing. In fact, college was never not an option for me — a career in the trades never even crossed my mind. And that’s part of the problem today.
This industry provides a great career opportunity — the people are second to none and the innovation and technology keeps getting better and better. Still, it’s not enough to attract new talent to the trades. Employment of plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters is projected to grow 16% between 2016 and 2026, which is much faster, by average, than most other occupations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. For comparison, the average growth rate for all occupations is 7%. The opportunities are there — young people are just not aware of them. So the question becomes, how do we, as an industry, attract new talent to the trades? The answer: Talk about it!