The Trades Are a Career, Not a Consolation Prize
While electricians, plumbers, carpenters and other red seal tradespeople are buying their first homes, many university graduates struggle to pay off debt, or even find good paying jobs.
Yet people still see the trades as what you do if you’re not smart enough for university.
The trades aren’t a fallback plan. They’re a legitimate, skilled, and future-ready career path for people who are willing to learn, show up, and work with their hands and their heads.
By definition, a career involves ongoing growth, advancement, and continuous learning. That’s exactly what the trades demand—and exactly what they deliver, for the people willing to take the path seriously.
This guide isn’t just for students considering the trades. It’s for the parents supporting them. I have parents approach me all the time with questions like:
- Will they be safe?
- Is this a real career—or just temporary work?
- What if they don’t know which trade to choose?
- Do they need to find a job first? How does it actually work?
- How can I help without doing it for them?
We’re going to answer those questions honestly—and show why the most successful tradespeople don’t start with experience. They start with initiative.
Because in the end, it’s not about whether you believe in the trades.
It’s whether your son or daughter is ready to show up, ask questions, and take the first step themselves.
The Path In: How Trades Careers Actually Start
“Does he need experience first, or will he get it while he’s working?”
This is one of the most common questions I get from parents. If you don’t know anyone who’s gone through it, the actual path into the trades can be confusing—mainly because there’s more than one way to do it.
There are two main ways into the trades, I’ve outlined each below.
Full downloadable PDF available here
Option 1: Pre-Apprenticeship Programs (Pre-App)
These programs are designed for beginners.
They run around 24 weeks and cover the same material as first-year trade school—just at a slower pace. Think: safety, tools, materials, basic techniques. It’s a great, hands-on intro for students with little to no experience.
For students who want to test out a trade before committing, Pre-App is a great way to get their boots dirty and build confidence.
Caution for parents:
Some contractors assume pre-app grads are more qualified than they are. They’re not. They’re beginners—just better prepared ones. A Pre-App doesn’t replace on-the-job experience.
Once you’ve completed the Pre-App program, you still need to follow the same steps as anyone else: find an employer, get hired, and be sponsored as an apprentice. In other words, Option 1 is a prep course—Option 2 is the real entry into the system.
Option 2: Direct-to-Work + Employer Sponsorship
This is the more traditional route into the trades.
A contractor hires the student for an entry-level role. After proving themselves during a trial period, the contractor agrees to sponsor them as an apprentice. From that point, they’re officially “in the system”—and the real path begins.
Here’s how it works, step by step:
- Get hired by a contractor.
They start in a labourer or helper role—no experience required, but attitude matters. - Complete the trial period.
Every employer handles this differently. Some decide in a few weeks, others in a few months. The goal: prove you’re reliable, teachable, and worth investing in. - Get sponsored as an apprentice.
Once the contractor agrees, they complete the necessary paperwork to sponsor the apprentice. - Register with your provincial authority.
In B.C., this is SkilledTradesBC. Registration gives you a training number and tracks your hours toward certification. - Start accumulating on-the-job hours.
Every trade has a target number of hours required. These hours must be logged and approved throughout your apprenticeship. - Talk to your employer about trade school timing.
Your first year of in-school training will be scheduled based on your employer’s workload and seasonal slowdowns. This is coordinated—not automatic. - Register for trade school as early as possible.
Some trades and locations have long waitlists—up to 6–18 months. Get your name on the list early so you don’t stall out.
Good to know:
- You only need to go through the sponsorship process once.
- Once registered, you can switch employers without starting over—your hours and progress follow you.
Both entry options—Pre-App or direct-to-work—are valid.
But neither works if the student doesn’t step up.
That means writing their own resume, making the call, asking the questions, and walking through the door themselves.
The trades don’t expect perfection.
But they do expect presence.
And that starts before the first tool is ever picked up.
Finding the Right Fit: Exploring Trades Through Action
“My son is 17 and interested in the trades… any advice?”
Yes. Talk to people. Ask real questions. Get dirty before you decide.
A lot of students (and parents) are waiting for clarity to show up before they make a move. But it doesn’t work that way—not in the trades, and not in life.
Clarity comes from movement. From trying things. From getting your boots dirty.
You can’t think your way into the right trade. You have to go find it.
That might mean:
- Touring a local training centre or job site
- Talking to someone who works in the trades
- Joining a pre-apprenticeship program to try it out hands-on
Every trade has its own pace, culture, and challenges.
You won’t know what fits until you’ve seen a few in action.
If your daughter tries framing and hates it but discovers she loves electrical? That’s a win. If your son realizes early on that welding isn’t for him? That’s a win too. Every step forward—even away from a trade—helps narrow the path.
Self-Discovery Requires Action
We meet too many young people who are stuck in place, unsure of what to do—so they do nothing. But you don’t figure out what you want by sitting still.
You figure it out by:
- Showing up
- Asking questions
- Trying and failing
- Talking to the right people
- Paying attention to what sparks interest (or kills it)
Even mid-apprenticeship, it’s common to feel uncertain.
That doesn’t mean you’re in the wrong trade. It means you’re learning. And learning always feels uncertain and a bit uncomfortable.
What matters more than being certain is being committed. If you’re going to try a trade, try it like you mean it.
What Employers Actually See: Initiative in the Real World
“How can I help my son? He’s only 14 but I want him to have a plan.”
That’s a great instinct. But in the trades, a “plan” doesn’t have to mean knowing your five-year path.
It starts with something simpler: initiative.
If a young person can show up on time, ask a question, shake a hand, and take direction without getting defensive—they’re ahead of half the applicants already.
Experience? Nice to have.
Clarity? That’ll come with time.
Initiative and communication? Non-negotiable.
The Resume That Got Shredded
A mom once came into the office with her son’s resume.
She handed it to the front desk and said he was interested in electrical work.
“He’s waiting in the car,” she added. “He’s available for an interview anytime.”
I looked out the window. Kid never even looked up from his phone. Didn’t walk in. Didn’t ask a question. Didn’t care.
After she left, I took the resume and shredded it.
Didn’t even read it.
Not out of anger. Not to make a point.
But because there was nothing real behind it.
That resume didn’t come from a future tradesperson. It came from a parent doing all the work.
And if the student can’t walk in to apply, how are they going to show up for a 6:30 AM job site in January?
Parents: Support, Don’t Step In
We see this all the time—parents emailing, calling, dropping off resumes, even sitting in on interviews.
It’s well-meaning. But it sends the wrong signal.
Trades employers aren’t looking for polish.
They’re looking for effort. Initiative. Curiosity.
When a parent handles all the communication, we assume the kid doesn’t care—and we move on.
You can prep your teen. Coach them. Roleplay the handshake and the phone call. But they have to make the move.
Because at the end of the day, the job isn’t yours.
And the opportunity won’t be either—unless they’re the ones reaching for it.
Making the Leap: How to Apply Without Getting in Your Own Way
By this point, most parents get it: initiative matters.
But for a lot of students, the next question is how.
They don’t teach this stuff in school. And if no one’s ever shown them how to walk into a business, introduce themselves, or follow up after a conversation, it’s no surprise they hesitate.
That’s where you come in—not to do it for them, but to help them build the muscles.
Here’s what it looks like.
The Basic Application Sequence
This is what a student-driven approach should look like:
- Write the resume.
Doesn’t need to be fancy. One page. Name, phone number, a short paragraph about why they’re interested. (If they need help formatting, that’s fine. But it should come from them.) - Walk it in.
In person. During work hours. Ask for the foreman, office manager, or whoever’s in charge. Shake a hand. - Say something like:
“Hey, I’m looking to get into the trades. I’m interested in [plumbing/electrical/etc.]. I don’t have experience yet, but I’m willing to learn. Just wanted to drop off my resume and ask a couple quick questions if that’s okay.” - Follow up.
If they don’t hear back in a week or two, they can follow up with a phone call or visit.
Just showing they’re serious sets them apart. - Keep a list.
Help them track where they’ve applied, who they spoke with, and what the next step might be. It builds confidence—and shows them they’re not just shouting into the void.
Give Them Space to Struggle
Yes, they’ll be nervous. Yes, it might be awkward.
That’s the point.
This isn’t just about getting hired. It’s about becoming the kind of person who can get hired—and succeed once they are.
Let them take the first step.
That’s how they build the muscle they’ll need in every part of their career.
For Parents and Students
I’m thinking about running a free webinar with a Q&A—something simple that explains how the trades work, what employers are actually looking for, and how to take the first step (without someone else doing it for you).
If that’s something you—or your kid—would be interested in, Contact me and I’ll send the details if it goes ahead.
Contractors and Hiring Managers
Does this match your experience? Anything you’d add?