Skilled Trades Blog | Career Success Stories & Advice

Film production career inspiration — Silvana with her camera and telephoto lens at the Trade Works USA event booth

10 Aug Behind the Camera: Silvana’s Career in Film Production and 3 Career Mistakes to Avoid

Posted at 11:47h in Career Advice, Creative Careers, Media production career, Skilled Trades Careers, Women in Trades

Choosing a career is about more than finding a way to make money. It is about understanding your strengths, knowing what kind of work you actually enjoy, and learning what a career looks like before committing to it. Silvana has learned those lessons through her own...

Staffing career inspiration — Jess, a construction staffing professional, smiling during her interview about helping build America

07 Aug Helping Build America: Jess’s Career in Construction Staffing

Posted at 11:25h in Career Advice, Career Change, Skilled Trades Careers, Staffing Career, Women in Trades

Sometimes the best career opportunities are the ones you never planned for. For Jess, a career in staffing began with a simple job search. While browsing opportunities on Indeed, she came across a position that caught her interest. With a background in project management and experience...

Health coach career inspiration — Alora, a health coach who turned her personal wellness journey into a new career, at an industry event

07 Aug Turning Personal Passion Into Purpose: Alora’s Journey as a Health Coach

Posted at 10:02h in Career Advice, Career Change, Healthcare Careers, Skilled Trades Careers, Women in Trades

Sometimes a new career begins by trying to make a change in your own life. For Alora, that change started with her health. She became passionate about improving her own wellness and began making changes that produced meaningful results. As she experienced the difference for herself, she...

Cosmetology career inspiration — Emma, a licensed cosmetology stylist beginning her career at 19

07 Aug From Considering Cosmetology to Starting Her Career: Emma’s Story at 19

Posted at 10:02h in Career Advice, Cosmetology Career, Skilled Trades Careers, Women in Trades

A year can change a lot. When Emma first met Trade Works USA, she was considering cosmetology school. Choosing what to do after high school is a big decision, and Emma was trying to determine whether cosmetology was the right path for her. She decided to go...

27 Jul A Life in the Saddle: Frankie’s Journey as a Horse Trainer

Posted at 13:43h in Agri-Tech & Animal Trades, Career Advice, Career Change, Skilled Trades Careers, Women in Trades

Some careers come full circle. For Frankie, horses have been part of her life for as long as she can remember. Growing up in a horse racing family, she was riding horses by the age of two. The stable was more than a place to visit....

Chef career inspiration — Shannon, a back of house supervisor and chef, smiling in her chef coat at the restaurant

27 Jul One Step at a Time: Shannon’s Journey to Becoming a Chef

Posted at 11:28h in Career Advice, Chef Career Path, Cooking Career, Skilled Trades Careers, Women in Trades

Great careers are often built one opportunity at a time. For Shannon, her journey into the culinary world didn't begin in a fine dining kitchen. It started in an elementary school cafeteria, where she worked as an instructional assistant helping prepare and serve lunches to students. That...

UI design career inspiration — Hime, a user interface designer and published poet, with her book The Chord of the Spirit

27 Jul Where Creativity Meets Technology: Hime’s Career in User Interface Design

Posted at 11:28h in Career Advice, Creative Careers, Skilled Trades Careers, UI Design Career, Women in Trades

When Hime mentioned that she worked in "UI," I had to ask what that meant. She smiled and explained that UI stands for User Interface. It is the design of the screens, buttons, menus, and layouts people interact with every time they use an app or...

Chocolatier career inspiration — Robert crafting handmade artisan chocolates at Chocolat Moderne in New York City, ten years into his culinary career

27 Jul Where Science Meets Creativity: Robert’s Career as a Chocolatier

Posted at 11:07h in Career Advice, Chocolatier Career, Creative Careers, Skilled Trades Careers

For many people, chocolate is simply something to enjoy. For Robert, it is both an art and a science. Robert is a Chocolatier at Chocolat Moderne, an independent chocolate company based in New York City that creates handcrafted artisan chocolates and specialty chocolate products. Every day,...

Industrial sales career inspiration — Makayla, a trailer sales manager, at an industry event ten months into her new career in a male dominated field

27 Jul Choosing Courage: Makayla’s Career in Industrial Sales

Posted at 11:07h in Career Advice, Career Change, Skilled Trades Careers, Trade Sales, Women in Trades

Sometimes the biggest career opportunities come when we are willing to step outside of our comfort zone. Makayla knew it was time for a change. She already had a job, but she felt ready for a new challenge. Then, an opportunity opened the door to industrial...

Plumbing career inspiration — Christina, a plumbing technician wearing her tool belt at a residential kitchen job, four years into a trade she started through paid on the job training

20 Jul Don’t Wait to Start: Christina’s Career as a Plumbing Technician

Posted at 16:32h in Career Advice, Career Change, Plumbing Careers, Skilled Trades Careers, Women in Trades

When Christina decided she wanted to learn a skilled trade, she wasn’t exactly sure which path to take. She considered carpentry, electrical work, and plumbing. Rather than waiting for the perfect answer, she started looking at companies that were hiring and willing to train someone...