Why More Women Should Consider a Career in Trades

Economists agree: millennials should consider trades. Education is very expensive. Most students are graduating with $37,000+ in student loan debt. It’s a hard pill to swallow when a lot of graduates are just starting their lives and want to: buy cars, get a home and start a family.

Women and men alike are being told to consider a career in trades.

Trades also offer great salaries, and the education requirements are a lot less than going to college. A few of the best-paying career options in trades for women are:

1. Truck Drivers

Truck drivers are in very high demand, but we’re seeing a misrepresentation of women in the field. Sure, women may have families that keep them from a career as a truck driver; long hours and sometimes weeks away from home are the norm.

But the Bureau of Labor statistics found that there are 177,000 female  truck drivers.

This is an industry that has swelled to 3.5 million active truckers in 2015. Truck drivers earn $41,340, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but this figure is often much higher with experience.

The field is under threat by autonomous trucks. However, with 113,000+ jobs expected to be added between 2016 and 2026, it’s a field that is in very high demand.

2. Plumbing

How many times have you called a plumber and a woman came to the door? Probably not often. Plumbers have a safe job because they’re not under threat of automation just yet. Technology is helping refine the industry and advance it, but the industry is safe.

Why?

• 75,800 jobs are expected to be added over the next decade
• The industry is expected to experience 16% growth on average

Plumbing does require an apprenticeship, and the majority of states will require a plumber to have some form of licensing to operate legally.

A career in plumbing will earn you an average salary of $51,000+ per year.

3. Mechanic

Automotive service technicians are in high demand, and with an ever-changing automotive landscape, there is always a demand for highly-skilled mechanics. On-the-job training is required, and salaries have a median pay of $38,470 per year.

The industry is expected to grow at a rate of 6% per year and add 47,600 positions in the next decade.

Statistics show that less than 2% of women are mechanics or auto technicians. The field is in need of more women, and you can fill this position with little training involved.

What’s the Catch?

Trades will require some form of training, so you will need to be a go-getter. You’ll need to have a passion in the field and work to bolster those skills as you enter the field. Apprenticeships and training may be required.

Depending on the field, you may also need:

• Certification
• Licensing
• Training

Depending on the field, you may have to go through training programs that last 6 months to 2 years on average. But the training is far less expensive than your traditional college education and may be covered completely by a potential employer willing to invest in you.