If there’s one piece of conventional wisdom in Silicon Valley, it’s that everyone should learn how to code.
Laid off? Learn to code.
Wanna get rich? Learn to code.
Just got dumped? Learn to code.
Learn to code and it will solve all your problems.
I’m the Founder of SkillCat - we get blue collar workers high paying skilled trade jobs. We’ve seen thousands of our students reskill for a better life. There is no better path to a successful career than the skilled trades.
When most people think of the term “skilled trade”, their minds immediately jump to hard, manual labor - like a blacksmith hitting a piece of steel with a hammer. The modern day skilled trade jobs we recruit for at SkillCat are fast-paced & tech-enabled.
You could be a Residential HVAC Technician - using advanced electrical & mechanical tools to keep people cool & comfortable.
You could be an Offshore Driller - monitoring streams of rig data & looking for key trends to keep your crew safe.
Or you could be a Wireless Tower Climber - troubleshooting equipment problems while climbing hundreds of feet in the air.
Looking for a change? Here are 3 reasons you should join a skilled trade bootcamp instead of learning to code.
1. The job prospects are AMAZING
Infrastructure companies - in construction, telecom, energy, manufacturing, and transportation - have HUGE worker shortages!
75% of companies can’t fill open skilled trade jobs - even during a pandemic. Let’s let that sink in. 75% of companies say they just can’t find enough qualified workers to fill all their business needs. Over the next decade, there will be a shortage of 2.4 million trade jobs versus 1 million coding jobs. If you are skilled, you will get a job.
Almost every skilled trade job is “essential” - infrastructure drives the world we live in. If one industry struggles, your trade skills can transfer to another field. Once you get a job, you have great job security.
For many of these jobs, your starting salary is around $50,000/year. With a couple years of experience and overtime, you could easily clear more than $100,000 a year. You’ll make just as much money in a trade as you will in an office job.
2. Use the skills you’re actually good at
Over the past few years, hundreds of bootcamps have emerged in Silicon Valley to teach how to code. For some, they work well. For others, they do not.
Coding isn’t the right solution for everyone. If you don’t like coding (sitting at a computer all day) or you’re not good at it, why not find a high-paying job that matches your skills?
Skilled trade jobs use a wide variety of skills. Some jobs need you to be great working with your hands. Others need you to have exceptional people skills. And some require you to be able to work with software & technology. You can leverage skills you already have to get a great job in the trades.
The fastest path to a successful career is doing something you’re good at.
3. You will love your job
Skilled trade workers LOVE their jobs!
More than most people I know working traditional, white-collar jobs (like coding!), the friends I’ve made in the trades are incredibly passionate about their craft. The numbers back it up: job satisfaction for skilled trade jobs is typically over 80% versus 57% for coding jobs.
Every day is different. You’re not at a computer all the time, and you’re always dealing with a different customer problem. You get the satisfaction of a job well done. There’s pride in completing a skilled task using your knowledge, ability, and expertise. Very few other jobs offer so much satisfaction.
Robots may take all of our jobs someday. But coding is just as susceptible to automation as anything else. Besides, wouldn’t you rather be on the human side?
Ruchir is the Founder and CEO of SkillCat. If you’re inspired by our vision, hit us up or join our free, online HVAC bootcamp