Adam Grosz could have gone to any college he wanted. He achieved straight A’s in nearly all of his high school classes and scored a 34 on the science portion of the ACT.
During his senior year at Murray-Calloway County High School in Murray, Kentucky, he realized that he didn’t want a four-year degree; instead, he wanted to be a welder, he told WPSD Local 6 News in Paducah, Kentucky.
As result, Grosz landed a full-time job and took classes at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. He hopes to get a certificate in welding but doubts he’ll ever get a bachelor’s degree.
“People look at me weird because I’m dirty, but I’ve been working all morning and stuff,” he told the news station. “And I tell them what I do, and their eyes widen. They don’t understand the hard work it takes for this, but I have the opportunity to make a dream a reality, so I’ve got to put in the effort.”
The demand for the trades
For every 10 jobs in the United States, seven are trade, two require a bachelor’s degree and one requires a master’s degree or above, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Last year, nearly three quarters of construction contractors in the South said they were short-handed workers in the trades, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.
James Gallimore at Gallimore Electrical Contractors in Murray, Kentucky told WPSD Local 6 that this issue is the result of more and more baby boomers in the construction trades retiring and fewer and fewer young people choosing to enter the trades after high school. He struggles to find young people like Grosz, he said.
“If you’re smart and got the attitude to want to learn and really be dedicated, you can make a very good living. You don’t have to have a college degree. You have to have some common sense,” Gallimore said.
Apprenticeship advantages
You can make a great living and solid health and other benefits right from the start in the construction trades. Most trade apprenticeships, especially those run by a registered apprenticeship program, offer you the opportunity to earn while you learn, making a living wage as you train in your respective skilled field.
Once you finish an apprenticeship program, you’re almost guaranteed a job as a journeyman or journeywoman. Other opportunities exist in the construction trades after apprenticeship as well, including foreman, estimator, purchaser, general superintendent or even owning your own business.
Take a look around this site to learn more about the registered apprenticeship programs in the construction trades and how they may be the perfect fit for your career aspirations.