The Collective Responsibility to Promote Skilled Trades: Why Society Needs to Highlight the Trades as a Respected Career Path

Despite the common emphasis on college degrees as the primary route to success, skilled trades offer a crucial and undervalued pathway for career development. As industries report a severe skills shortage, the necessity for a robust workforce of skilled laborers becomes undeniable. The Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights this urgency in its report on fast-declining occupations. Are skilled trades the underestimated backbone of our economy? How can we shift societal perceptions and promote skilled trades as a viable career option?

Join host Greg Crumpton on Straight Outta Crumpton as he welcomes Steve Turner, the founder of Bring Back The Trades. They dive into the essential role of trade in today’s economy and discuss innovative ways to promote and revitalize these crucial careers.

Highlights from the discussion:

• Challenges in the Trades: Addressing the current shortage of skilled tradespeople and the societal undervaluing of these essential careers.
• Impact of Education on Trade Careers: How educational systems and parental perspectives can promote skilled trades as respected career paths.
• Future of the Trades: Strategies to engage more young people and career changers in skilled trades through outreach, education, and incentives.

Steve Turner is the founder of Bring Back The Trades, an organization dedicated to promoting skilled trades as a desirable career option. With a personal journey rooted in the trades, Turner has evolved from an apprentice to a successful entrepreneur in the upholstery business, now leveraging his experience to advocate for the trades through scholarships and public outreach.