Skilled Trade Rescue Weekly Newsletter: Mentoring Skilled Trades Professionals for Success in Business and in Life
Why More People are & Should Consider the Trades
Erica sat in the crowded High School gym on senior night, scanning the applause for each student’s future plan. “Mechanical Engineering.” “Pre-Med at Northwestern.” “Business at ASU.” When her son Mike walked across the stage and said, “I’m starting as a plumbing apprentice,” the applause dimmed. Polite, but awkward. A few parents exchanged glances.
Erica felt the heat of judgment—not because she was ashamed, but because she didn’t know what to say back.
Was this a real plan? Would he earn enough? Would he be respected? Had they sold him short?
Apprentiships in the Trades
Mike wasn’t unsure. He’d already toured three training programs, shadowed a local journeyman, and figured out his costs and income. It was Erica who wasn’t ready. Because everything she’d ever been told said trades shouldn't be the first choice.
She’s not alone.
Many parents—and even some school counselors—worry that choosing a skilled trade means giving up on potential. They imagine dirty, dangerous, and dead ends.
But the data—and the careers—tell a very different story.
The Stats Don’t Match the Stigma
Right now, America has over 667,000 open registered apprenticeships—but most parents still assume that success equals college (U.S. Dept. of Labor, Nov 2024). Meanwhile:
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Student loan debt has passed $1.77 trillion.
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Nearly 40% of college grads end up working jobs that don’t require a degree.
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Over 50% of skilled trade workers under age 30 started their careers making $50,000+—but only 42% of youth believe that’s possible (Stanley Black & Decker, 2024 Makers Index).
The “backup plan” mindset is killing opportunity before it can begin. It’s time to put the skilled trades back on the front page.
Let’s Lay Out the Real Deal
Here’s what you don’t hear enough about the skilled trades:
The Financial Reality
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Average cost of trade school: $10,000 to $15,000 total
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Average starting wage for first year registered apprentice: $52,000/year not including overtime hours
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Estimated Journeyman Turnout wage (after completing apprentice years): $90,000 - 120,000/year (depending on your area)
The Tech Truth
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89% of skilled workers report using advanced technology daily—drones, diagnostics, robotics, CAD systems.
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23% of youth wrongly believe trades are “low-tech.”
(Source: Stanley Black & Decker 2024 Makers Index)
The Pathway Is Clearer Than You Think
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Pre-apprenticeship → Registered Apprenticeship → Journeyman → Master → Business owner or instructor.
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No degree needed. Just skill, grit, and time.
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National credentials mean portability—skills you can take state to state.
The Thread of Artifical Inteligence
- Many non-physical jobs are being outsourced to AI
- The trades offer job stability
Youth Shift Is Real
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Gen Z is not afraid of getting dirty—but they are afraid of debt, instability, and BS.
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Over 55% of Gen Z values job stability and earning potential over prestige. (Source: TrainingIndustry.com, 2025
Real Moves You Can Make This Week
âś… Look up local apprenticeship sponsors (use CareerOneStop.org or GetMyFuture.org).
✅ Start a real convo with your teen: “What kind of problems do you like solving with your hands?”
✅ Download our free “Real ROI Career Guide” at SkilledTradeRescue.com—it compares trades vs college paths in dollars, hours, and outcomes.
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If you’re a parent, mentor, or guidance counselor ready to challenge outdated thinking and help a teen or young adult build a powerful future in the trades—you’re not alone.
Join the Skilled Trade Rescue community at SkilledTradeRescue.com
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Get access to trade specific mentoring tips, starter tools and more.
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Comment in the community: What’s the one concern you still have about your teen choosing a trade—and what would help you feel more confident?
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Share this newsletter with a family who needs to hear it
The future isn’t factory-made. It’s handcrafted. And it starts right here.
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