May 5th is National Skilled Trades Day. Established in 2019 by City Machine Technologies, Inc. and observed each year on the first Wednesday of May, the day is meant to raise awareness about the importance of the industry and promote the vibrant career path it offers. 

Over the past three decades, interest in the field dropped due to an increased push for high school students to attend universities and colleges. In fact, just 20% of high school seniors said they were interested in attending a trade school. Currently more than half of skilled trades workers are nearing retirement age, leading to a potential shortage. The skilled trades are important to us all, and you may not realize how much their work impacts your life. 

HVAC-R

If it’s cold outside, you probably turn up the heat. And when it’s sweltering outside, adjusting the air conditioning can help cool you down. While you’re enjoying your climate-controlled home or office, you can thank an HVAC-R technician for keeping you comfortable. HVAC-R technicians are responsible for installing and repairing the HVAC systems that make life better and allow us to control our room temperature with the twist of a dial or push of a button. 

Electricity

Did you turn on the lights today? Power up a device? Cook a meal? You can thank an electrical technician. This skilled trade worker is responsible for keeping our modern world working. Electricity helps keep traffic flowing by powering stop lights and allows essential businesses like stores and hospitals to operate. In fact, it touches many aspects of your life each day.

Welding

If you’ve ever been on a flight, taken a cruise, or driven over a bridge, you can thank a welder. This worker joins metal parts together to build the equipment, products and structures we regularly use and rely upon. You can also thank a welder for the water that comes into your house, as it travels through underground pipelines that they’ve connected. 

Facility maintenance

When you visit commercial spaces and public buildings, such as schools, doctor’s offices, or shopping centers, remember that someone is responsible for maintaining them. For this, you can thank a facility maintenance manager. This person oversees the maintenance and repair of all aspects of the building from the exterior conditions to interior signage, to managing the elevators, emergency fire equipment and more…everything that is needed to keep the building operating smoothly and safely for residents, employees, and visitors.

As you can see, the skilled trades impact and improve your life in many different ways. If you enjoy hands-on work and want to contribute to the products and facilities people use every day, skilled trades could be the right career choice for you. Fortis offers programs at many of its campuses. To learn more, call 1-855-436-7847 for more information or to schedule a campus visit.