For some people, a day’s work doesn’t count for much if it doesn’t involve getting their hands dirty or breaking a sweat. If you are a "get down and get dirty" kind of person, you might consider a career in auto mechanics, electrical work, carpentry, or law enforcement. Nearly 6,000 vocational school programs are available to give you the information and training you need to break into these fields. If you’ve been putting off your college search, consider training for a career in the trades instead.

Skilled trade jobs are currently in high demand. Many pay substantially more than four-year degrees. But trade careers have become less popular and this is causing a nation-wide shortage. Companies are concerned that soon they will not have enough skilled workers, making careers in the trades a hot commodity.

Did you know that many skilled tradesmen easily earn over $40,000 a year? That is a much higher salary than that of a beginning teacher or accountant (who are often still paying guaranteed student loans after four or five years of college). But trade careers that often only require a less expensive two-year degree are in high demand and don’t leave you with huge student loans to pay back.

If you think a skilled trade career is for you, here are just a few of the options available today.

• Auto mechanics (also called automotive service technicians) find great satisfaction in the repair and servicing of automobiles and light trucks. Mechanics must have in-depth knowledge about how multitudes of vehicles work to be fix broken vehicles, as well as perform routine care that keep cars and trucks running smoothly and efficiently.

• Electricians are fascinated by the wires and connections that bring us light and toast our bread. While the main responsibilities of an electrician are to install and maintain electrical systems, specific systems can range from climate control to security to communications. Some electricians specialize in preventive maintenance; they routinely inspect equipment, searching for problems before systems break down.

• The Building Trades might be for you if you love the feel of a hammer in your hand and the satisfaction of building things. Most building trade positions are in carpentry. Carpenters are people who cut, shape, and assemble wood to construct buildings or create other products, such as cabinets and doors. Carpenters work on construction sites, inside buildings, in factories, and in small woodworking shops. The vast majority of people employed as carpenters work for contractors who build, remodel, or repair buildings and other structures.

There are also many higher-skilled trades that will allow you to explore your artistic side, like being a cabinetmaker, doing woodworking, or doing architectural drafting. There are also plenty of other mechanical skilled trade jobs such as jewelry or watch repair, business machine repair, or masonry. If you love plants, working as a landscaper or in a plant nursery might be the trade for you. If you enjoy working with animals, there are many skilled trade jobs in the animal husbandry field, from being an animal trainer to working with a veterinarian as a veterinary technician.

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