Parent & Student Trade Explorer

See the trades in action, then explore them together.

A short video for every trade, from one trusted source, plus a year-by-year at-home guide. Good pay, real demand, and no four-year degree required. Watch any trade at any age, whenever the conversation comes up.

Trades to explore

860,600

Openings a year

Debt on the apprenticeship path

How to use this guide

Watch a trade in action

Pick any trade in the video library below. Short, real looks at the work, available at any age.

Follow the year-by-year guide

See what to explore and do together at each grade, from 8th through senior year.

Go deeper on the site

Every trade links to its full guide with pay, the path in, and schools near you.

The year-by-year at-home guide

What to explore and do together at each grade. The videos above work at any age, so dip in whenever a trade comes up.

Grade 8 · Middle school

Awareness and Discovery

Your 8th grader sees the full range of trades and clears up the myths. No commitment, just a first real look.

What your 8th grader explores

The five families of trades and what each one builds or keeps running
What a tradesperson actually does all day
Spotting the trades in your own home and neighborhood

What you can do at home

Take the free Trade Finder together to see which trades fit
Watch two or three trade videos together and talk about them
Point out who wired, plumbed, and heated your home

Grade 9 · Freshman year

Exploration

Your freshman goes deeper into the trades that caught their eye, and looks honestly at how the paths compare.

What your freshman explores

A closer look at two or three trades that interest them
Apprenticeship compared with a four-year degree on cost and time
The basics of tools and job-site safety

What you can do at home

Revisit the Trade Finder as their interests narrow
Pick two or three trades and read the guide together
Rewatch those trade videos and compare them
Talk to someone you know who works in a trade

Grade 10 · Sophomore year

Exposure and Skill Sampling

Your sophomore tries the work and starts to pick a focus, with first visits and real hands-on tasks.

What your sophomore explores

Hands-on mini-labs in the trades they like most
Talks from local employers and union members
Choosing a CTE pathway for the upper grades

What you can do at home

Visit a job site or shop if you can
Go to a school or community career night
Look at the pay and the path on the guide

Grade 11 · Junior year

Immersion

Real shops and real credentials. This is the year your junior visits, shadows, and starts stacking certifications.

What your junior explores

Trade shop and training-center visits
Pre-apprenticeship and summer programs
Money basics and resume and interview skills

What you can do at home

Tour a trade school or union hall together
Look into summer or pre-apprenticeship programs
Use the finder to find local schools

Grade 12 · Senior year

Launch

Your senior steps into the next thing with a real plan. Whatever path they choose, they leave as a young adult with a documented next step.

What your senior explores

Applications to apprenticeships and trade schools
Employer interviews and real connections
A written next-step plan for every path

What you can do at home

Apply to apprenticeships or trade schools
Use the finder to shortlist programs
Practice for interviews together

How to use this guide

Watch a trade in action

Follow the year-by-year guide

Go deeper on the site

The Trade Video Library

Construction & Building

Electrician

Plumber & Pipefitter

HVAC/R Technician

Carpenter

Mason / Bricklayer

Ironworker

Sheet Metal Worker

Construction Inspector

Boilermaker

Civil Engineering Technician

Operating Engineer

Crane Operator

Manufacturing & Industrial

Machinist

Welder

Millwrights & Industrial Machinery Mechanics

Robotics, Automation & Mechatronics Technicians

Tool and Die Maker

Mechanical & Transportation

Automotive Technician

Auto Body Technician

Diesel Mechanic

CDL Truck Driver

Aircraft Mechanic

Energy & Utilities

Electrical Lineworker

Solar Installer

Wind Turbine Technician

Power Plant Operator

Fiber Optics Installer

Specialty & Skilled Services

Elevator Mechanic

Medical Equipment Technician

The year-by-year at-home guide

Awareness and Discovery

Exploration

Exposure and Skill Sampling

Immersion

Launch

Keep exploring

Match interests to a trade

All 31 trades, in depth

Helpful organizations

Dream2Career