Skills in the trades will empower you to earn a good living and make a meaningful life as you help others

I had the honor and pleasure of delivering the commencement address to the Graduates of Hope Renovations Spring 2023 Cohort on Thursday, May 25, 2023 at the UNC School of Social Work (event details).

There were three key points I attempted to convey to the graduates:

1. "If you choose to go forward with a career in the skilled trades, which all of you are qualified to do, then you are in a strong position and have a very bright future." ?
2. "You are pioneers in changing times and ahead of the curve. Consider reaching back to help others access similar short-term training programs so they, too, can get ahead."
3. "Having skills in the trades is a beautiful thing; it’s a valuable asset that will serve you well for the rest of your life. These skills in the trades will empower you to earn a good living and make a meaningful life as you help others." ??

Full transcript:

Thank you, Nora, and good evening Hope Renovations staff, friends, and family; UNC colleagues; and of course, our 2023 Hope Renovations graduates!

Graduates, I commend you.?

I commend you for your wisdom. …You recognized the value of a career in the skilled trades, perhaps when others in your life did not.

I commend you for your perseverance. …You developed the critical, core competencies necessary for a dynamic career in the trades.?

And I commend you for your achievement. …You earned a valuable certificate from this highly respected and nationally-recognized pre-apprenticeship program, Hope Renovations.?

This certificate is your ticket to an in-demand career in a rapidly growing industry with deeply rewarding work.?

Graduates, congratulations - you have options. Options may not be something you experienced much in your life, but let those words cover you now right now.??

1. You have skills that most others don’t have,?
2. You have people in your corner pulling for you, and
3. You have what it takes to build a great life for yourself and your family. You got this.?

For those who don’t know, let me take a moment to paint a picture of the very real opportunities ahead for this graduating class.?

There are literally hundreds of thousands of jobs in the construction industry available, right now, nationwide. These jobs are well-paid and going unfilled.?

According to the National Association of Home Builders, the average national wage for carpenters and HVAC install and repair specialists is more than $55k/per year, and for electricians and plumbers, it’s more than $63k. That far exceeds the living wage.?

North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the nation and the Triangle Region is on-fire. The construction industry is one of the most in-demand industries in our region with some of the strongest ten-year growth projections. That means there are tons of jobs available here now and in the next ten years.?

And those national average salaries that I mentioned before are just that - average. Here locally, our older generation of skilled trades people are retiring and there are few rising up behind them. That means, those like yourselves with skills in the trades, can demand higher salaries and move quickly up the ranks.?

And, the places of employment are so diverse and interesting. In addition to the many residential and commercial building companies that want to recruit you, there are also government agencies that have facilities that need management, and hospitals and educational institutions which run like small cities - all of these enterprises are recruiting workers in the skilled trades, too. The opportunities are endless.?

Recently, I was speaking with an owner of a local custom home building company…

He told me that someone can start right out of high school at his company having never swung a hammer and, if they are willing to show up on time and work hard, he will train them and they can advance to project supervisor within five years and earn six figures. …that is with no college education, 100% debt free, and “learning and earning” on-the-job! It’s fabulous.?

Thing One, the first thing I want you to hear is: If you choose to go forward with a career in the skilled trades, which all of you are qualified to do, then you are in a strong position and have a very bright future.?

Now, I want to talk with you about the changing times that we are living in.?

I follow a lot of futurists, who are helping us make sense of artificial intelligence and robotics, and predicting what this means for our economy and jobs across many industries.?

One of my favorite futurists is Heather McGowan, who, five years ago, explained that we have moved from the information era and into the augmented era, and that the future of work is learning.?

McGowan says the days of us going to school to earn a degree and then work at one company for thirty years and then retire (and die two years later!) are gone.?

…She predicts that nearly every industry will require a cyclical pattern of working and learning. Basically, we will all need to continually learn new skills, which we can then apply in our jobs.?

Your participation in this innovative, fast-paced, short-term career training program is a shining example of what some futurists are predicting most of us will need to do in the coming years: Enroll in programs, to learn new skills, to apply to jobs, with evolving expectations.?

And developing these new skills may not take a two or four year degree, but rather a quick immersive training to master the competency.?

If this prediction bears out, then you are pioneers in our “future of work and learning.” And as early movers in these changing times, you will have the opportunity to appease fears and encourage others to leverage short-term training opportunities. I also hope that you will join the chorus of those advocating for the expansion of valuable programs like Hope Renovations, which provide a steady path in our shifting society.?

Thing Two, the second thing I want you to hear, is that you are pioneers in changing times and ahead of the curve. Consider reaching back to help others access similar short-term training programs so they, too, can get ahead.

The last thing I want to talk with you about is a meaningful life.?

By signing up for the Hope Renovations pre-apprenticeship program, you didn’t just sign up to learn new skills. You embraced the opportunity to repair and renovate the homes of older adults so they can comfortably age in place.?

This tells me that you value yourself and you value others; that you are driven to develop and apply new skills that make your life, and our community and world, a better place.?

It was the Persian poet, Rumi, who said “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.”?

Thing Three, the third and final thing I want you to hear… Having skills in the trades is a beautiful thing; it’s a valuable asset that will serve you well for the rest of your life. These skills in the trades will empower you to earn a good living and make a meaningful life as you help others.??

In conclusion, here you are on your graduation day. You are now a professional who is skilled in the trades. Whether you think you are or not, you are.?

You put in many hours, days, and months of hard work, and you’ve earned this very respected credential from one of the finest nonprofits in the nation.

Going forward, with this powerful certificate in-hand, coupled with your new skills and your beautiful desire to help others, you will be well-positioned for the changing times ahead.

You are now charged with building your future and transforming the lives of others. Do something worthy! Congratulations Hope Renovations Class of 2023!?