My City May 2022

numerous opportunities for a single individual. 3. It’s more a ordable – A four-year col lege degree can range from $40,000 to $100,000 in loans and fees. Learning a trade can cost half, a quarter of that or less, with some pro fessionals completing their training with no debt at all.

is process involves the same decisions as one would make in choosing a college or major course of study. STEP 1: Complete high school or equivalent (GED). How to Get Started in Skilled Trades STEP 2: Choose a trade. STEP 3: Find and select an education program. STEP 4: Obtain and complete Apprenticeship (approx. 2 years). STEP 5: Get licensed.

STEP 6: Become a journeyman. STEP 7: Continue education/ become a Master. In Michigan and Genesee County, the process is the same.

Electrician

EXAMPLE: J anet loves to work with her hands, has helped her father with rewiring their home and she enjoyed it. In the next year she will graduate from Flint South western High and is deciding what career to pursue. She considered college and although she earned great grades, didn’t feel drawn to any one subject. Besides, she didn’t want to wait four years to start earning her own way and the potential debt really worried her. Her friend’s father worked as an electrician and seemed to afford a nice house, car and more. Janet decided that after graduation, she would become an electrician. Janet looked into various avenues of study and saw that Mott Community College o ered a degree in Electronics and Electrical Technology that she could take while working as an apprentice or she could apply for the pro gram o ered by Flint/Saginaw Electrical Joint Apprentice and Training Committee. After enrollment in the school of her choice, Janet must register with the state as an apprentice. Over the next few years of apprenticeship, she

Carpenter

4. It takes less time – e average amount of time to reach the jour neyman level is two years (depending on speci‚c trade). During that time, the student is already making money and gaining real world experience. 5. Salaries are compara ble to most with tradi tional college degrees – skilled tradesmen earn average annual salaries of $60,000. Today’s most in-demand skilled trades are: HVAC technician, plumber, con struction manager, rotary drill operator, boilermaker, electrician, home inspector, wind turbine technician, air craft mechanic and lineman.

will work and be paid while attending school until she completes 576 hours of classwork and over 8,000 hours of supervised electrical work, at which time she can take the exam to become a licensed journeyman and begin earning a higher wage. After two years as a journeyman and at least 12,000 hours of elec trical work, she can apply for a master elec trician license. If she gets that, she can begin training apprentices of her own. In about six years after high school graduation, Janet can be making almost $86,000 a year working as an electrician in the State of Michigan.

College is not the only road to professional success. More than ever, the United States is in dire need of skilled trades workers. These valued workforce members also have the opportu nity to become entrepreneurs by starting their own business. For job security, job availability and a good union wage, a profession in the skilled trades is a solid choice … and nothing to be looked down upon! Skilled trades built this country and are a fundamental part of it. For a career and earning potential that will last to retirement, consider mastering a skilled trade. ®

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