To raise awareness for the abundance and evolution of trade careers, skilled trade associations, and building trade unions, including SMACNA, SMART, and ITI have come together to launch the first National Careers In Trades Week. 

SMACNA is dedicated to educating people about the benefits of employment in the essential skilled trades and showcasing the value of the people and fields that build the world in which we live, work, and play. Trade careers are abundant, in demand, and projected to stay that way.

SMACNA has partnered with the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART), and International Training Institute (ITI) to launch the first National Careers in Trades Week (April 7-11, 2025). This effort is aimed at bringing awareness to the benefits of choosing careers in skilled trades.

LEARN MORE ABOUT NATIONAL CAREERS IN TRADES WEEK

Why Careers in Trades?

With dozens of skilled trades to choose from and employment opportunities increasing faster than the average for all occupations, young workers are increasingly turning to the skilled trades as an alternative to college. GenZ has been called the "toolbelt generation" due to their growing interest in joining the trades. It's understandable considering the trades pay well, eliminate college debt, and meaningfully contribute to society. According to a recent survey that was published in Higher Ed Dive, about 9 in 10 Gen Z graduates said learning a skilled trade can be a better route to economic security than college (Thumbtack survey).

It's worth it. According to the Bureau of Labor (BLS) statistics, the median annual wage for the trades was $55K in 2023, higher than the median wage of all occupations. High school students opting for a technical education career track can avoid college debt, which currently averages $34,000 for a four-year bachelor’s degree. Instead, students can get paid for apprenticeships and enter the workforce with money in the bank and no college debt. 

The work is rewarding, too. Tradespeople are responsible for constructing, maintaining, and repairing homes, schools, hospitals, buildings, roads and other vital structures we use every day. The skilled trade professions work together to construct the buildings that are essential to fueling the economy, including chip factories, data centers, state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, and nuclear power plants.

April 7-11, 2025