Resources hub
Every guide, data set, community page, and game on AdultSkilledTrades.com, in one place.
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Pay data
Wage Data
Entry, median, and top pay by trade and state. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Trade Salaries
Salary guides for 20 trades, each with the full pay range.
Salary Calculator
Compare your current pay with a trade career, adjusted by state.
Pay and Living Costs
What a trade pays in the US, UK, Germany, and Canada, next to what it costs to live there.
Community
Women in the Trades
Programs, networks, and stories from women building careers in the trades.
Second Chances
Trade careers for people with a record: fair-chance employers and programs.
Success Stories
Real people, real paths, real paychecks.
Community Partners
The organizations that helped launch the sites.
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All free tools
Explore every trade
Click any trade to see programs, schools, and apprenticeships near you
See what the trades look like
Real videos about real careers, what you do, what you earn, and how to get there
Day in the life: Electrician
What it's actually like on the job and how to get started
HVAC: Career overview & salary
Everything you need to know about becoming an HVAC tech
Welding: from beginner to certified
How to enter welding and where it can take you
Why skilled trades?
A practical second career
Real earning potential
Experienced electricians, plumbers, and HVAC techs earn competitive wages, often matching or beating four-year-degree salaries.
Little or no debt
Apprenticeships pay you while you train. Many certificates cost a fraction of a four-year degree, and GI Bill, WIOA, and Workforce Pell can cover the rest.
Work that can't be offshored
You can't outsource a leaky pipe or a failed circuit board to an algorithm. Skilled-trades work stays local and in demand.
A real, structural shortage
Construction alone needs about 349,000 more workers in 2026 (ABC, 2026), much of it driven by retirements, which means openings, advancement, and your pick of employers.
How adults pay for trade training
Most people qualify for at least one of these
Workforce Pell Grant
New for short-term programs starting July 1, 2026. Check your eligibility →
WIOA
The Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act funds training for eligible career changers and dislocated workers through local workforce boards.
GI Bill® & VR&E (Ch. 31)
Veterans can apply education benefits to many trade programs and registered apprenticeships.
Employer tuition help
Many companies pay for trade credentials, and registered apprenticeships pay wages from day one.
State workforce grants
Grants and scholarships vary by state. We help you find the ones near you.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information is available at the official U.S. government website. Endorsement by the VA is not implied.
Why career-changers and veterans choose us
What you get, free
Free for job seekers
Search programs, apprenticeships, scholarships, and funding with no fees, ever. Browse free. Create an account to save your work.
Built for adults
Fast-track and evening programs, GI Bill and WIOA funding guides, and a veterans' path from military experience into the trades.
Real tools, not just links
A resume builder, AI mock interview, college-vs-trades calculator, and BLS wage data to help you decide and apply with confidence.