This course introduces the skilled trades for people with little or no knowledge of the industry. The lessons explain what a trade is, how trades are learned, and why skilled trades play an essential role in building and maintaining the world around us. This course is designed for beginners, students, career changers, and anyone interested in understanding how careers in the trades work.

This course explores the different types of skilled trades found in the construction industry and helps you begin thinking about which trade path may interest you.

Choosing the right trade is an important step when entering the construction industry. This course helps you think through different factors such as work environment, type of work, and long-term career opportunities so you can begin identifying a trade path that may fit you.

Understanding the trades is the first step. The next step is learning how people actually enter the industry. This course explains how individuals begin their careers in the construction trades, how opportunities are found, and how networking plays a major role in accessing work in the industry. Students will learn how to locate opportunities, build connections, and begin positioning themselves for a career in the skilled trades.

This course introduces the fundamentals of blueprint reading and helps students understand how drawings are organized, how information is communicated, and why blueprint knowledge increases a worker’s value on a jobsite.

Building a home follows a specific sequence of construction steps. Each phase of the project must be completed in the correct order so that the next stage of construction can begin. This course explains the typical process used to build a residential home from the ground up. Starting with site preparation and grading, the course walks through the major construction stages that occur during a home build.

The construction industry is made up of many specialized trades that work together to build homes, buildings, and infrastructure. Each trade performs a specific role and requires different skills, tools, and knowledge. This course introduces the major trades found on construction jobsites and explains the type of work each trade performs. You will gain a clearer understanding of how construction projects are built and how different trades contribute to the process.

Apprenticeships are one of the most common ways people enter the construction trades. Instead of paying for school, apprentices earn wages while learning a trade through hands-on experience and classroom instruction.

Course Description One of the biggest decisions when entering the construction trades is choosing between union and non-union work. Each path offers different benefits, opportunities, and career experiences. This course explains the key differences between union and non-union construction, including pay structure, job opportunities, training, and long-term career potential.

Course Description This course breaks down how prevailing wage works, the difference between public and private projects, and how factors like location, trade, and project type affect pay.

Course Description There are multiple pathways to entering the construction trades, and understanding these entry points can help you choose the best path for your situation.