Considering the trades
Getting Started
Straight answers before you commit four years to a trade.
If you're weighing a trade — fresh out of school, switching careers, or talked into it by an uncle who swears by it — start here. We lay out what the work actually pays, how long the ladder takes, and where the money is, using real BLS wage data instead of recruiter pitch. No hype about the trades being the next big thing; just the numbers you'd want before you sign an apprenticeship agreement.
Posts in Getting Started
- The 5-year apprenticeship roadmap: what you actually earn at each stageAn IBEW apprentice can start at 40% of journeyman scale — about $23.60/hr on a $59 base — and step up to 85% by the final period. Here's the full ladder.June 23, 2026 · 5 min read
- Considering a trade? Here's what the data actually says about pay in 2026The skilled trades run from a $36,900 floor to a $141,180 ceiling. Before you pick one, here's what the BLS wage data actually says about where the money is.June 23, 2026 · 6 min read
- Trade school vs apprenticeship: an honest financial comparisonOne path pays you from day one; the other you pay for up front. We can put real numbers on the apprenticeship side — here's the honest comparison, gaps and all.June 23, 2026 · 5 min read