Apply for Skilled Trades Jobs

We've complied information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to help you get a better idea of employment in the Skilled Trades field.

Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers

• Knowledge of electrical equipment and electronics is necessary for employment; employers often prefer applicants with an associate degree in electronics.

• Employment is projected to grow more slowly than average for all occupations.

• Job opportunities will be best for applicants with an associate degree, certification, and related experience.

Plasterers and Stucco Masons

• Plastering is physically demanding work.

• Becoming a skilled plasterer or stucco mason generally requires 3 or 4 years of training, either informally on the job or through a formal apprenticeship.

• Good employment opportunities are expected.

• The best employment opportunities should continue to be in Florida, California, and the Southwest.

Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders-Metal and Plastic

• Manufacturing industries employ more than 90 percent of workers.

• A few weeks of on-the-job training is sufficient for most workers to learn basic machine operations, but a year or more is required to become a highly skilled operator or setter.

• Overall employment of machine setters, operators, and tenders is projected to decline rapidly over the 2006-16 period as a result of productivity improvements and competition for jobs from abroad.

• Those who can operate multiple machines will have the best opportunities for advancement and for gaining jobs with more long-term potential.

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Workers

• About 2 out of 3 jobs are in manufacturing industries.

• Training ranges from a few weeks of school or on-the-job training to several years of combined school and on-the-job training.

  is projected to grow more slowly than average.

• Job prospects should be excellent as employers report difficulty finding enough qualified people.