Blog, Page 7

Getting hired in the trades.

Straight, local answers on pay, licensing, and how to break into HVAC, electrical and plumbing.

A skilled trades worker at work on a job site

Trades

Trades Benefits Explained: What to Ask About Health Insurance, Pensions, and 401ks Before You Sign

Before you accept a trades job, know what to ask about health insurance, pensions, and 401ks. A plain guide to reading the full offer, not just the hourly rate.

An HVAC technician at work on a job site

HVAC · Houston

Getting Into HVAC in Houston: Pay, Licensing, and How to Break In

What HVAC work pays in Houston, whether you need EPA 608 or an ACR license, and how to break into the trade. A plain guide for anyone starting out.

A skilled trades worker at work on a job site

Trades

What Trades Employers Actually Look For in a First Hire

HVAC, electrical, and plumbing shops tell you what they weigh most in a first hire, from attitude to reliability, plus real wage ranges to expect.

An HVAC technician at work on a job site

HVAC

Which HVAC Specializations Pay More? A Guide to Refrigeration, Controls, and Chillers

Refrigeration, controls, and commercial chillers are the HVAC skills that push pay toward the top. Here is what each path involves and why it earns more.

A plumber at work on a job site

Plumbing · Phoenix

How to Break Into Plumbing in Phoenix: Pay, Licensing, and Getting Started

What plumbing pays in Phoenix, whether you need a license to start, and how to break in as a helper with no experience. A straight guide for 2024.

A skilled trades worker at work on a job site

Trades

Residential vs Commercial vs Industrial Trade Work: A Guide to Pay, Schedule, and Fit

Compare residential, commercial, and industrial work in HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. See pay ranges, typical schedules, and which setting fits how you like t

A skilled trades worker at work on a job site

Trades

First Trades Job Tool List: What to Buy and What the Shop Supplies

Starting your first HVAC, electrical, or plumbing job? Here is what tools you actually need to buy yourself and what the employer supplies on day one.

An electrician at work on a job site

Electrical · Phoenix

How to Become an Electrician in Phoenix: Pay, Licensing, and How to Break In

A plain guide to starting an electrical career in Phoenix: what it pays, whether you need a license, and how to land your first shop job.

A skilled trades worker at work on a job site

Trades

A Real Day in the Life of a Trades Apprentice: Hours, Tools, and What Nobody Warns You About

What a trades apprenticeship really looks like day to day: start times, tools you buy, physical demands, and the pay path from apprentice to journeyman.