The trades are an underrated career path, as tradespeople are always needed. Thus, there is a high demand for these highly skilled positions. Furthermore, because trade careers require a specific skill set, careers in the trades often come with an excellent salary and good job security.
With a job market as unstable as the one that exists now, it’s worth considering a trade career, as the industry is experiencing a kind of renaissance. This is because the trades will always require people to do the job, as much of what these jobs require cannot be replicated by a machine.
Consider that a career in trade will require you to go back to school, but not for as long as it would take to earn a Master’s degree or even a Bachelor’s degree.
If you’re considering making a pivot to becoming a tradesperson, below are some of the most in-demand trades with some of the highest-paying salaries. Furthermore, you will be able to see what steps will be required to get the proper education to enter the trades.
What Are Trades?
A trade career is a somewhat general term, but it represents a career that involves developing a particular set of skills through education.
Many traders will also offer an apprenticeship program, where you can witness a qualified tradesperson on the job and learn directly from their experience. Trades can also be physically active careers.
What Are Some High-Paying Trade Career Options?
Numerous types of trade careers offer generous salaries that adequately compensate you for your skillset. Many of these careers are medical, mechanical, electric, construction-based, or technology-based.
Being that these jobs are in high demand, it’s a good idea to look for incentive programs and scholarship opportunities in your area to ease the burden of the cost of schooling. Compared to many other degree programs, you aren’t looking at paying as much to complete your trade education.
Dental Hygienist
A dental hygienist works alongside a dentist to help maintain patients’ oral care and oral hygiene. A dental hygienist will often be responsible for a patient’s care at the beginning or end of their appointment. This might include cleanings and performing exams or x-rays to learn more about a patient’s oral health.
The hygienist will also help keep the office organized by filling in some paperwork and updating a patient’s record after a visit. They will also typically offer general dental hygiene advice, such as properly keeping teeth clean through brushing and flossing.
It’s not too difficult to find a college or university that offers a dental hygienist program. Depending on the school, the program will usually take between two and three years to complete. However, you will most likely be able to practice your skills through lab work, and you will be required to obtain a license once your education is complete.
The salary range for a dental hygienist is quite vast, but you are looking at anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 as you gain experience.
Home Inspector
People will always buy and sell homes, condos, and apartments, meaning that home and building inspectors will always be needed. There is a lot of responsibility and precision involved with being a home inspector, as it requires you to finely examine a home to ensure everything is up to code. This could make or break someone’s decision to purchase a home.
For this trading career, you will learn everything about the nooks and crannies of a home, from how the plumbing and electrical systems are supposed to work. Additionally, you will learn how all the structural elements of a home are supposed to come together to create a safe home.
If you want to become a home inspector, you want to be sure that you are comfortable with climbing ladders and squeezing yourself into some small spaces. You also want to develop fine attention to detail and patience.
To become a home inspector, you can study at a college or training institute to earn a certificate or a diploma. Time in school will vary slightly depending on where you live. Once your training is completed, you can expect to earn between $50,000 and $70,000 a year.
Medical Sonographer
A medical sonographer is also sometimes called a sonographer, an ultrasonographer, or an ultrasound technologist. This position requires you to examine patients using an ultrasound machine or ultrasound equipment to aid in the diagnosis of various medical concerns.
Some medical sonographers will specialize in a specific body area, such as women’s reproductive health, or work with particular patients, such as children who need pediatric care. However, a medical sonographer can also have general training to work with different body parts.
A medical sonographer does not communicate a diagnosis to a patient or give medical advice. Instead, they help take the images and send their findings to a primary care physician, who then consults with the patient about the findings. There is also some general communication with the patient involved and the maintenance of patient records.
To become a medical sonographer, you will have to go back to school for approximately two years. Once you have your schooling under your belt, you can expect to earn around $60,000 or more a year.
HVAC Technician
HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, meaning that these are the types of systems you would be working with as an HVAC technician. You would be responsible for installing, maintaining, and removing these machines, as well as discovering potential issues with these systems in different settings.
An HVAC technician can also choose which types of systems they might like to work with or gain experience working with all of them. An HVAC technician is always in demand regardless, especially with the rise in people converting to more environmentally friendly HVAC options.
Becoming an HVAC technician will require you to attend a trade school, which usually offers some apprenticeship and on-the-job training. Depending on the school, a program could last six months or two to three years. You can start earning between $40,000 and $50,000 a year once you have completed school, with the potential to earn more with experience.
Respiratory Therapist
A respiratory therapist works with patients who are experiencing issues with their breathing. They can perform various tests to assess a patient’s health condition to try and determine what is causing the breathing issues. Many of these issues relate to the lungs, blood oxygen levels, or a combination of the two.
A respiratory therapist might also work in a hospital, helping patients who require ventilators. They will also help monitor these systems to ensure they are working well for the patient. Additionally, a respiratory therapist can also work with patients who struggle with their breathing and help them learn methods to improve their lung function and lung strength.
Becoming a respiratory therapist will require patience, and the ability to work in a medical setting. In addition, there is the potential to encounter emergency medical situations where you will be responsible for aiding in emergency care.
Training to become a respiratory therapist involves a combination of learning medical theory in school with hands-on training, and there are also ways to become a registered respiratory therapist depending on where you live. You will be looking at being in school for around three years.
There is also the option to get additional training, if you want to specialize in working with certain patients, such as children. Once you earn your education, you could be looking at a salary ranging from $40,000 to $80,000, with the average therapist earning a salary somewhere in the middle of that range.
Final Thoughts
It’s never too late to consider shifting your career path towards an exciting trade career that not only pays well but offers a unique day-to-day experience. You can contribute to industries that require skilled workers and embark on an exciting career path that will only continue to grow in terms of the opportunities that will present themselves.
It’s not worth just going into the trades because you are motivated by the potential earnings. However, it’s essential to find a trade within an area you are passionate about. Trades help you keep busy, and they can help you work with people and make a difference in their lives.
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