Our Mission

Just as trades built America, we aim to inspire and encourage career explorers to return to our roots and engage in meaningful and rewarding work that meets the everyday needs of our communities.

What We Do

We enlighten career seekers about the power of skilled trades.

Vision

We see a future where trades are once again recognized, respected, and pursued — restoring hope and purpose to the American workforce.

Founded in 2023 by Jan Steiner, Trade Works USA was established to bring awareness to the career opportunities available through Trade Schools and Community Colleges.

Trades have been, and will always be, an integral part of America. Unfortunately, over the years, skilled trades have been virtually ignored and taken for granted while students and Career Seekers have been encouraged to embark on expensive college educational journeys.

And yet, it is the skilled trades that helped build America and continue to:

build, repair, service and maintain our cars, homes, computers, manufacturing equipment, etc.
provide services to maintain our beauty and self-care
prepare foods and/or dessert for restaurants and events
grow, cultivate, tend plants and animals as a food source
print media and all the packaging and labels found on products
and a host of other things...

Trade Works USA believes that education is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor and that within the trades lay a treasure trove of skills and opportunities waiting to be discovered by those who dare to dream differently—high schoolers, GED students, parents returning to the work force, and those seeking a new career after a major life change.

In a world where practical skills are in high demand, trades offer a fulfilling and dependable career path. Let’s honor the enduring legacy of American craftsmanship and build a brighter future together.

About Our Founder

Jan Steiner

Janet “Jan” Steiner is a champion of the trades and founder of Trade Works USA, a company dedicated to empowering and encouraging teens and young adults to explore skilled trades as a future career. As a transformational leader, savvy businesswoman and former CEO of Thoro Packaging, Jan scaled her company from $3 million to just under $40 million dollars in revenue and later sold it before retiring. She proudly declares her incredible business journey and path to success started with learning a skilled trade: print manufacturing.

Humble Beginnings

Like many high school graduates, Jan didn’t really know what she wanted to do for a career. In the meantime, her dad, who had been working in the printing trade, decided to follow his dream and start Thoro Packaging, a small folding carton printing business. Balancing a part time job and her community college courses, Jan spent her free time volunteering to work both in the plant and the office. This led to taking a banking class to effectively perform the accounting duties and to speak to the bankers using financial terms. Eventually she was hired to run the one-girl office. Later she took on trying her hand at sales—which she absolutely loved, took a B2B sales class, and brought in several great accounts to Thoro.

When her father’s health began to fail, the board decided this thirty-two-year-old blond was the perfect choice to be his successor in this male-dominated industry. Despite the challenges, Jan transformed Thoro Packaging from a tiny business to a multi-million-dollar printing powerhouse with major companies as clients like 3M Corporation, See’s Candies and Johnson & Johnson, to name a few. Nearly forty years later, she was able to sell the company and retire well. At eighteen, she could have never imagined that volunteering for and learning a trade would be the answer to living a financially successful life. Thus, her passion to bring an awareness to the vast opportunities that the trades provide.

Jan Steiner founded Trade Works USA, driven by a profound and unwavering belief in the dignity of work and the boundless capabilities of every individual.

Jan with Applied Digital Media and Printing Students

Empowering Youth

There is currently a skills gap and an increasing need to reinvigorate what it means to be involved in a skilled trade career. With Trade Works USA, Jan is determined to bridge that gap by creating awareness about the trades and helping young adults discover the rewarding careers they offer. At the same time, employers will gain access to quality employees and ultimately boost the US economy.

Over the years, Jan’s guiding principle has been, “If you don’t make dust, you eat dust.” She is adamant that one doesn’t need a four-year college degree to “make dust” and achieve success, you just need drive, determination and skills! Jan is living proof. Are you next?

History and Background

Founded in 2023, Trade Works USA was established to bring awareness of career opportunities through Trade Schools and Community Colleges. She understood that education is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor, and that within the trades lay a treasure trove of skills and opportunities, waiting to be discovered by those who dare to dream differently.