Parents, college isn't the only answer. Trade professions need your kids too.
DISCLAIMER: Hey reader! Please know Hope Plumbing is a valued partner of theCityMoms. Because of this relationship, we occasionally share sponsored content we feel could be valuable or interesting for your family, like this interesting look at the demand for trade professions kids can grow into. Read on, reader…
High school diploma? Check.
College degree? Check.
Entry level job? Check.
Sound familiar? For most of us this is what we have been preparing for, what was expected of us, and what we have deemed a success story since junior year of high school when we started getting asked, “Where are you applying to school?” But what if checking those boxes just isn’t the right fit for your kiddos? It can be hard to imagine an alternative path in a day and age where graduation from college seems to be a foregone conclusion, and even attending graduate school is becoming standard fare. BUT, there is another choice, and it is one that is becoming increasingly popular... again.
Brought back into the spotlight most notably by TV personality Mike Rowe, trade professions are once again becoming a viable option for young adults.
In his television series “Dirty Jobs” Rowe focuses on some of the more peculiar and entertaining professions, but he is also an outspoken advocate for teaching kids any and all skilled trades.{SIDE NOTE: What is a skilled trade? Skilled trade careers are labor jobs that require specific training, such as a carpenter, a tile setter or an electrician. Much of the labor involved with skilled trades jobs is manual work and can be physically demanding.}The reasons why trade professions such as plumbing, electrical, and construction fell out of favor are complex, but parents around the country began pushing their children away from apprenticeships and towards academic colleges, even when it wasn’t a natural fit. According to David McGrath in an Chicago Sun Times article titled Let’s quit brainwashing kids that it’s a college degree or nothing: “We need to debunk the inference made by parents that vocational and technical jobs are inferior. Such a notion has led many of them to steer youngsters unwilling or unsuited for academic study into frustration, failure, and depression.”In fact a recent look into trade professions by NPR notes "seventy-percent of construction companies nationwide are having trouble finding qualified workers, according to the Associated General Contractors of America...An even bigger challenge is convincing parents that {trades} leads to good jobs."
Indy-based company Hope Plumbing is doing their part to make trade professions an attractive option for Hoosier youth.
First, Jack Hope, Founder and Co-Owner of Hope Plumbing wants people to know that “Smart work but not hard work is not the mantra for success. We are sending people who are not intellectually curious to college, and they are not benefitting from it. That is why it is so imperative to educate students about the trade industry.”Did you know that income for a licensed plumber can range from $60,000 to $100,000 annually, a salary about which many college graduates only dream. “The trade profession in 2019 is a high paying job that is in extremely high demand, and this demand is only going to increase as the older work generation retires,” said Jack Hope.
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Not only does Hope Plumbing advocate for young people to consider trade professions, they make it easy and exciting for them to do so. Hope Plumbing offers internships, and co-owner Brad Persic recently visited Noblesville schools to talk to students about the industry. Additionally, Hope Plumbing offers an apprentice program, which is a cornerstone of most trade professions, and a style of education that is popular worldwide, especially in Western Europe. Hope Plumbing is so committed to getting kids intro trade professions that they offer tuition reimbursement and other support.
For so long we were told that college was the only measure of success, the only way to make it in this ever-changing world. Hope Plumbing is proving that is not the case. It is quite possible for a young person to have great financial security and emotional well-being without ever stepping foot on a college campus, if that is not the path that appeals to them. Jack suggests that students and their parents reach out to local service providers to see what type of internships and apprenticeships they offer in a variety of fields that interest them.
Mike Rowe once said, “Work smart AND hard.” If collegiate dreams satisfy your child, great! But if not, don’t fret. The folks at Hope Plumbing are proof that trade professions are alive and well, and ready for the next generation.
MORE DETAILS: Hope Plumbing is a locally-owned and operated full service, residential and commercial plumbing company in the Indianapolis area. They offer a wide range of plumbing services including broken pipe repair, cleaning of clogged main lines, fixture plumbing repair, gas plumbing and water system installation. To schedule an appointment, visit their website or call {317} 900-4513.
