NSTD first Wednesday in May • May 4, 2022 • Pursue a career in the trades
National Skilled Trades Day is a day to highlight education and to celebrate the highly skilled workers in many trades, such as healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and construction. Around the nation, many companies need skilled workers in these areas.
National Skilled Trades Day was founded by City Machine Technologies, Inc. to bring awareness to the skilled trades shortage facing the United States. Their website states, “It is also a day to celebrate those important workers employed as a skilled tradesperson. As a family-owned and operated industrial repair shop in Youngstown, Ohio, City Machine Technologies has experienced a labor shortage and is concerned about the future of their business as well as others in the manufacturing industry. Rather than sit back and wait for the culture to change, CMT decided to spur change and shed a positive light on the skilled trades through awareness and special events like National Skilled Trades Day.”
DCTC Transportation, Construction & Manufacturing, Health & Education programs
At DCTC, you can learn trades in a variety of fields from welding and electrical construction to dental assisting and practical nursing. Whether you’re interested in being an electrical lineworker or auto mechanic, working as a medical coder or helping install HVAC systems, a heavy-duty truck technician or a vet tech, choices are available online or on our campus in Rosemount, Minnesota.
Learn more about trade careers and programs at Dakota County Technical College.
Students at DCTC have even more ways to explore the trades beyond the classroom through SkillsUSA. SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization for students in trade, industrial, technical, and health occupation programs at community and technical colleges. SkillsUSA’s mission is to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible American citizens. There are more than 50 competitions through SkillsUSA that relate to programs of study at DCTC or leadership development. DCTC students compete against other colleges in Minnesota. Competitors who place first in the state advance to nationals and compete against the best students in the nation in their chosen field.
View photos from the recent SkillsUSA Minnesota State Championships hosted at Dakota County Technical College.
Why should you pursue a career in the trades?
NO JOB SHORTAGES!
In many trades, there are more jobs than workers, and it continues to trend this way for the next few decades. That’s why National Skilled Trades Day is an important day to highlight! Employees in Generation X are currently retiring faster than businesses can fill job openings. This has increased the demand for skilled workers. Some companies even offer incentives, like signing bonuses and tuition reimbursement, to attract new employees and remain competitive.
Plus, the cost of a technical degree from Dakota County Technical College is more affordable and attainable for many than the steep price of a four-year degree – making skilled trades a wise alternative.
START EARNING RIGHT AWAY!
Workers in skilled trades typically need a certification to start their career, which means they can begin earning with little to no debt from education. Each program at DCTC has it’s own set amount of credits to earn a degree, but most programs range from one to three years for a full-time student.
Some would argue that our society has a hard time accepting the skilled trades route as a valuable career path. National Skilled Trades Day aims to raise awareness and help show America the value of skilled trades. If we are going to create growth in our country, we must celebrate the critical jobs that fall under skilled trades.
We can see that growth in our regional workforce. For the state of Minnesota, each trade industry sector employs an average of 520,000 workers per month, according to Minnesota Employment and Economic Development. And the demand isn’t going down. Minnesota DEED’s Career Pathways tool shows that many jobs in the trades are in high demand in the Minnesota workforce. With a technical skills training, diploma, certification, or associate degree, you could be making between $30,000 and $175,000, depending on your industry.
REWARDING CAREER CHOICES!
Whatever your career is, there’s something so rewarding about rolling up your sleeves and putting in an honest day’s work. In the skilled trades, you can have a career that offers excellent pay, benefits, healthcare, and more. Whether working in the heating and cooling ventilation industry or brewing a cool pint of lager, skilled trades occupations are in higher demand than ever before.
When you think about it, the workers in the skilled trade community hold our country together. These are the people we call to fix our cars, install our electricity, build our homes, take our blood, and make sure our pets are healthy. So, on the first Wednesday of May, join with us to celebrate those in the skilled trades. It’s a true ‘labor of love.’