Building a career as a skilled tradesman within a construction staffing company involves several key steps and considerations. The range of jobs for skilled tradesmen is vast, with opportunities spanning from working on new apartment construction to projects in solar fields. According to Skillwork, “There are nearly three million unfilled trade jobs.” Additionally, Skillwork mentioned that job listings for plumbing and carpentry apprentices increased in 2021.
Career Opportunities at a Skilled Trades Staffing Company
Unlike other construction recruitment agencies, Skilled Trades Partners works with all skill levels and even supports our skilled tradesmen looking to further their education through our tuition reimbursement benefits. We start supporting skilled tradesmen in their career as early as when they’re in high school, with our Rock the Voc donations to encourage more people to have a strong start to their career in the skilled trades industry.
Several forms of employment options are available at Skilled Trades Partners including temporary employment, direct hire, and temp-to-perm placements for construction work.
How to Become a Skilled Tradesmen: Licenses and Certifications
To obtain jobs such as plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, and construction labor, you need the right licenses for your state and education in your chosen field from a vocational school. You also typically will need physical strength and stamina to lift heavy materials, work long hours, and be aware of the necessary safety precautions.
At Skilled Trades Partners, we offer entry-level and apprenticeship jobs so you can gain experience as soon as you’re out of trade school in addition to our full-time job opportunities. A great way to enhance your skills is by applying for these apprentice positions so you can learn from the skilled tradesmen who have been mastering your line of work for years.
What You Need To Get Your First Skilled Trades Job
When pursuing your first skilled trades job, the specific requirements and educational paths can vary depending on the trade and industry. However, here are some general guidelines and considerations to help you navigate this at the beginning of your career journey:
Education
Every program is different but generally, you need to have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED) to pursue any entry-level skilled trades position. Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and concrete workers, for instance, may require specific coursework in math, science, or technical writing.
Technical Training
Depending on what career you choose to pursue as a skilled tradesman, you have a few options to get experience under your belt and build on your education. A common option is going to a vocational program where you spend either seven months or up to a year learning from trade instructors. Another option is getting an associate’s degree, where you can develop transferable skills like communication, and analytical thinking. You can take general education classes like math, science, and English. Having an associate’s degree benefits skilled tradesmen by improving job opportunities, earning potential, and enabling career advancement. For example, a carpenter who has an associate’s degree can more easily move into a supervisory role or specialize in advanced construction techniques.
Apprenticeships
Depending on the career path you’ve chosen, an apprenticeship can range from 1-6 years. Programs normally only require a high school diploma or GED but some may require prerequisite classes and overall good health. Apprenticeships vary from plumbing, welding, and electrical apprenticeships are one of our major offerings at STP.
Trades Internships
Trades internships are another way to offer inexperienced students the opportunity to build valuable skills and network with employers in construction. However, there are disadvantages, as most do not provide a salary or any benefits. Some internship programs do offer the ability to work in a hybrid format, depending on the role.
OSHA Safety Requirments
OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, came into effect in 1970 to prevent people from being killed or seriously injured at work. A general overview of what OSHA is and its expectations can be found on their website. The main industries where OSHA tries to implement safety protocols to limit hazards are construction, general industry, maritime, and agriculture.
OSHA conducts workplace inspections when there is imminent danger to employees, catastrophes, complaints from employees, targeted inspections when there could be hazards or high injury rates, and regular inspections. Each type of inspection serves to enforce compliance with OSHA standards, identify hazards, and promote a safe working environment for all employees.
OSHA provides workers, supervisors, and employers with the OSHA Training Insitute (OTI) to spread safety and health training. There are also digital tools available to provide you with expert advisors, an electronic compliance system, and videos for workers. OSHA’s eTools help bring knowledge of solutions when workers are put in common health and safety problems.
Start Your Career at a Company that Wants to See You Grow
When you join the Skilled Trades Partners team, you are provided with a variety of benefits that can greatly help you advance in the profession you decide to pursue. A key benefit that is provided by our STP is our tuition reimbursement program which allows you to keep learning and bettering your knowledge about your chosen trade. There are many other benefits such as tool reimbursement, free OSHA/safety training, free PPE (personal protective equipment), paid holidays, and paid sick and vacation days. Along with all these, we offer loyalty rewards where we give away annual gifts to our loyal team members.
If you are skilled in trades such as construction, carpentry, plumbing, or any other trade, and are looking for new job opportunities, check out our current job openings.
If you’re brand new to the world of skilled trades, take a look through our blog for more advice on how to get started and to learn more about the industry!
Providing talented individuals with career opportunities that match their expertise and career goals is what we do best. We can’t wait to help you next!