Career Change Archives - Trade Works USA

Matt standing in a trade show booth featuring printed apparel, symbolizing a successful career in the high-demand garment printing and creative trades.

01 Oct Adapting and Thriving: Matt’s Journey as a Marketing Specialist in the Printing Industry

Sometimes unexpected changes lead to new opportunities. When Matt lost his previous job and the pandemic hit, he decided to take a chance on something completely different. Today, he is a Marketing Specialist for Brother International, a garment printing manufacturer that helps businesses create custom...

Jan and Hannah smiling in the middle of a large folding carton manufacturing plant, symbolizing the critical role of business and customer service in the skilled trades.

24 Sep Hannah’s Role in the World of Folding Carton Manufacturing

Posted at 13:40h in Business and Service Trades, Career Change, Manufacturing Trades, Skilled Trades Careers

At Spectrum Packaging in Orlando, Florida, Hannah plays a key part in connecting customers with high quality packaging solutions. As a customer service representative, she bridges the gap between the plant floor and the people who rely on Spectrum’s folding carton packaging for their products. Hannah...

A split image showing construction workers on a job site next to a smiling professional in a suit, symbolizing a career transition from hands-on trades to sales within the construction industry.

18 Aug From the Job Site to the Sales Office: Johnny’s Journey into Trade Sales

Posted at 09:57h in Career Change, Trade Sales

Not every path in the trades leads to swinging a hammer or wiring a house. For Johnny, a career in trade sales opened doors he never expected, without a college degree and without a background in advertising or print. He started out working in construction. One...

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) attending to a patient on a stretcher by an ambulance, depicting a life-saving career and high-need jobs in healthcare trades.

17 Jul Finding a New Direction: How Brock Switched from Finance to Saving Lives

Posted at 17:07h in Career Change, EMT Career, Skilled Trades Careers

Sometimes, discovering the right career path means realizing when something is not the right fit. For Brock, that moment came during his time studying finance in college. It just did not feel like the future he wanted. Instead, he thought about what had brought him joy...

Garage door technician working on a door.

26 May Jacob’s Career in Garage Door Repair

Posted at 11:02h in Career Advice, Career Change, Skilled Trades Careers

Not every career starts with a plan. Sometimes, it starts with a need and a connection. For Jacob, becoming a garage door technician began when he needed work and a friend helped him land an interview. That moment turned into a full-time career he now...

19 May Why George Left Carpentry for Clean Water

Posted at 13:39h in Career Change, Skilled Trades Careers

Some careers start with a plan. Others begin with a conversation over coffee. George is a Water Treatment Operator who proudly wears his company’s logo on his hat. That pride caught our attention and led to a conversation about how he found his way into the...

Arborist at work, one using a pole saw for tree trimming, another using a weed trimmer in a garden.

01 May How Jack Turned Tree Climbing Into a Career

Posted at 10:08h in Career Advice, Career Change, Service Trade Careers, Skilled Trades Careers

Some people dream of climbing the corporate ladder. Jack just wanted to climb trees—and he built a career out of it. Jack is a professional arborist based in San Diego. At 35, he runs his own tree-trimming business and is proud of the journey that took...

A Field Service Engineer making a difference: Frank's dedication to supporting hospital care.

07 Apr Field Service Engineer Frank Finds Purpose in Supporting Hospital Care

Posted at 12:17h in Career Change, Healthcare Careers, Hospital Care Careers

Frank is a Field Service Engineer who spends his workdays inside hospitals, making sure something critical is always working: medical gasses like oxygen and medical air. His job may be behind the scenes, but the impact is life changing. “I really like knowing that I am...

Jim, a professional photographer, capturing a special moment at an outdoor event with hot air balloons

05 Apr Turning a Love for Photography into a Career

Posted at 14:20h in Career Advice, Career Change

Jim’s love for photography began when he was just eight years old, after his mom gave him a Brownie camera. That simple gift sparked something lasting. For years, that camera became a part of who he was. Life took him in other directions, but photography...

Print production assistant operating a four-color offset printing press in a modern print facility.

25 Feb From Scholarship Winner to Print Production Assistant: Iris’s Path into the Printing Industry

Posted at 08:59h in Career Advice, Career Change, Skilled Trades Careers, Women in Trades

Some career choices are driven by passion, others by practicality—but for Iris, it was a combination of both. After completing the Graphic Design and Printing program at Riverside Community College, she secured a job in the industry and earned a prestigious scholarship that helped her get there....