Discover the high-paying trade jobs that don’t require a degree, offering a blend of skill-focused training and the potential for lucrative career paths.
The employment landscape worldwide has been shifting rapidly in the past decade. While higher education degrees are undeniably valuable, companies increasingly focus on a person’s skillset instead of their papers. Today, trade jobs are quickly becoming valuable, offering stable careers in changing economies.
But what are trade jobs? These are jobs where you don’t need higher education degrees. You obtain required hard skills through apprenticeship, on-the-job training, boot camps, and more. This specialized training reduces the time required to enter the workforce, and many experts in their fields earn the same as university graduates, sometimes more.
Trade jobs are also great for lifelong learners and people with entrepreneurial ambitions. The myriad of challenges you face not only help you grow but also help you avoid monotony.
So what are the seven high-paying trade jobs?
1. Electrician
Electricians are usually contracted to install, maintain, and repair electrical systems. After obtaining a high school diploma, you may become an electrician through an apprenticeship or by attending a vocational school for technical training. You must also have excellent critical thinking and customer skills to diagnose the problem onsite since you’ll mostly work with people.
Remember, this job is physically demanding because you need to be on your feet most of the time. In emergencies, you may also have to work overtime, on holidays, or on weekends.
2. Plumber/HVAC technician
Plumbing is a broader field than most people think, while HVAC is an acronym for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Plumbing involves installing, maintaining, and replacing complex systems that deliver water, provide gas, and dispose of waste. You’ll primarily work with gas and water lines and bathroom and kitchen fixtures. A residential HVAC system is a complete home comfort system that can heat and cool your home and improve indoor air quality and humidity control.
You may learn these two trades at a vocational training center or through apprenticeship. It may also be physically demanding, and you may be called on holidays and weekends in an emergency.
3. Police officer or detective
Most people want to be police officers when young, but this dream dissipates because our view of police officers changes as we age. However, this can still be a rewarding career, especially if you like helping people. Also, in many countries, there’s always a demand for police officers as those in the force age. Your job will include crime prevention and investigation, emergency response, law enforcement, and testifying in court.
Remember, you may specialize and join various units after joining the police. Still, your job typically involves spending much time outdoors on foot, by bike, or in patrol cars.
4. Dental hygienist
A dental hygienist is one of the primary carers in a dentist’s office. Their job involves:
- Cleaning teeth and offering patients preventative care
- Taking X-rays to diagnose dental problems
- Updating patients’ medical records
It’s one of the best-paying trade jobs, but you may have to undertake an associate’s degree that takes about three years. Depending on your jurisdiction, you may also need to seek a license to become a dental hygienist.
However, unlike the abovementioned jobs, this trade is not physically demanding, and you may not be forced to work overtime or on holidays because of unpredictable emergencies.
5. Ultrasonographer
This is another healthcare sector trade job requiring an associate degree. Your job will involve:
- Working with specialized diagnostic medical equipment
- Creating a summary of your findings for the doctor
- Updating a patient’s medical records
As you gain experience, you can further specialize to increase your income. Other jobs in the same field include becoming an MRI tech, a respiratory therapist, a radiology tech, a cardiovascular tech, and more.
6. Heavy equipment mechanic
Mechanics are always in demand, but you can take your skillset a notch higher and become a heavy equipment mechanic. Your job will involve inspecting, repairing, and maintaining heavy equipment, such as cranes, excavators, or other equipment used in farming, transportation, and mining.
This job is perfect for detail-oriented people because you’ll have to learn how to diagnose problems using diagnostic software and prevent potential ones using preventative programs. You may also need to familiarize yourself with welding and cutting.
7. Power plant operator
A power plant operator or dispatcher controls the operation or maintenance of electricity production machinery. You’ll mostly work with switchboards to regulate power output in specific generators or distribute power among them. Potential workplaces include oil refineries, power plants, chemical plants, and other facilities. You can also specialize to become invaluable in your field.
Takeaway
Most people shy away from trade jobs because of the misconstrued “status” of these jobs. Of course, most of these jobs are physically demanding. Still, you can also specialize in an associate degree that allows you to operate from the comfort of your office or clinic. High-paying trade jobs also provide a better platform to open a business, enabling you to provide employment and revolutionize how you offer your services.
You can also explore other trade jobs, such as a realtor, distribution manager, aircraft mechanic, elevator technician, automotive service technician, and more.
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