Feel like a well-paying career is out of reach for you, for one reason or another? Maybe it’s the high cost or time commitment of college that just doesn’t fit with your life right now. Or maybe you’re worried that you don’t have the “right” background, the connections, or even the confidence to dive into something new. Well, here’s some good news: apprenticeships in the skilled trades were built for people like you. Apprenticeships are designed to open doors, making sure anyone willing to work hard can find a path to a rewarding, stable career, no matter their starting point.
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A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted a growing trend: America’s newest class of millionaires includes plumbers, HVAC technicians, and other skilled tradespeople. This story shows that careers in the trades are more than just stable jobs—they’re pathways to high earnings and long-term success.
When we go about our daily routines, it’s easy to take for granted the comforts and conveniences we rely on – clean water flowing from our taps, electricity powering our homes, smooth roads to drive on, and more. Without tradespeople, we wouldn’t have any of these things, and life would certainly be different!
In life, there’s no shortcut to success. Success comes from rolling up your sleeves and putting in the work. But here’s the good news: apprenticeships pave the way, putting you on the right track so you get there sooner. Apprenticeships offer a clear and straight path to a rewarding and successful career.
As fall arrives and the leaves begin to turn vibrant shades of red and gold (in some parts of the country, at least!), we’re reminded of the harvest season. It's a time when the hard work and dedication of planting and nurturing pays off with a bountiful yield.
Tired of working job after job, feeling like you have little purpose or direction for what lies beyond today or tomorrow? Longing for a career where you can learn, grow, and thrive, earn a great living, and know that your work is important and meaningful?
All of this and more is possible through an apprenticeship in the building trades.
“We try to teach people in an apprenticeship that we prepare you for a career. It’s not just a job for tomorrow. Tomorrow’s job may end the day after tomorrow, but a career is going to continue,” said Todd Stafford, Executive Director of the electrical training ALLIANCE, in a recent podcast interview about electrical apprenticeships.
In the episode, Mr. Stafford goes on to explain how apprenticeship:
The transition from military to civilian life can be tough. The military is a way of life, not just a job. It’s a way of life that comes with great purpose, passion, belonging, and pride that can be difficult to replicate in a civilian career. And while they are highly trained, experienced, and skilled, transitioning veterans may find it difficult to secure a career where they feel like their unique talents can be put to good use. Many say they feel like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.
There’s one industry, though, that is a natural fit for veterans and transitioning military: the construction trades. Between the hands-on, goal-oriented nature of the work, the deep camaraderie among team members, and the celebration of skills like handiness, strategic thinking, leadership, adaptability, problem-solving, and more, it should come as no surprise that tens of thousands of veterans have found fulfilling and successful careers in the trades.
How did they find that success and make the transition? Through a registered apprenticeship program!
An apprenticeship is a program where workers learn a skilled trade through a combination of on-the-job training and classroom instruction. Apprenticeship is similar to college in that it offers advanced instruction from an accredited program that prepares you for your career. Unlike college, however, apprentices earn while they learn and get paid while they’re on the job site. It’s certainly a great choice compared to sitting in a lecture hall for 4 years, especially for transitioning military who are used to a much more active, engaged, and hands-on way of life.
Not only do apprenticeships pay, but veterans can also can use their GI Bill benefits to supplement their income while completing a registered apprenticeship program. Many transitioning from the military don’t realize that GI Bill benefits can be used outside of more traditional education routes, including registered apprenticeships approved by the federal government. What’s great is that this is in addition to the income earned from on-the-job training!
The support for veterans in the building trade apprenticeship programs is unparalleled. Few industries have the reverence and respect for veterans and transitioning military like the construction trades. In fact, many have designed specific initiatives and programs to help veterans make a successful transition. A great example of this is The Veteran’s Electrical Entry Program (VEEP) by the electrical training ALLIANCE, which provides transitioning service members and recently separated veterans a more streamlined way to enter an apprenticeship in the high-demand field of electrical work.
If you’re an active service member who is about to transition or a veteran looking for a mission-focused and purpose-driven career - one where you feel like you fit in and your talents can be fully used and celebrated - we encourage you to explore a career in the construction trades. Learn more about apprenticeships, and get started today.
Veterans and active duty service members, we honor you and would be honored to work beside you.
In Fiscal Year 2020, more than 221,000 individuals nationwide entered the apprenticeship system. Apprenticeships are becoming more and more popular, and for good reason! They’re a great way to kickstart a fulfilling career, where you’ll make good money, have great job security, rich benefits, and so much more. Not to mention, apprentices take on little to no debt, and actually earn while they’re learning. It’s no wonder there has been a 70% growth in new apprentices since 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
But what is an apprenticeship, exactly? Let’s explore what it is, why it’s so beneficial, and how you, too, can join the ranks and enjoy the good life through an apprenticeship.
As a kid, the scariest things in life were the dark and things that lived in the dark: goblins, ghouls, monsters under the bed, and ghosts. As we got older, our fear of ghosts and the dark may have faded but we are still often scared of the new or the unknown.
If you’ve ever considered a major career shift, you know this type of fear well - the fear that comes with not knowing what lies ahead and feeling unprepared. Will it be worth it? What if I fail? What if I’m not qualified or don’t have the training for the job I’d love to have? Is it worth it to start over, when I’ve already invested time and energy in my current career? What If I’m not good at it? And on the other hand, what if you don’t make a change? If you stay in your current career, will that lead to a life of regret? Will you be unhappy and unfulfilled day in and day out? These are big and hard questions. No wonder it feels scary!
But it doesn’t have to be. By entering an apprenticeship to begin a rewarding career in the building trades, most, if not all, of the what-ifs are covered for you:
