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skilled occupations & military

SKILLED OCCUPATIONS

Four Sectors of Skilled Occupations / Trades

Construction - Construction trade is an umbrella term that covers a wide variety of hands-on, service-based jobs. These jobs include plumber, electrician, painter, roofer, as well as carpenter. There are many other job titles included in the construction trades, and they all share one thing in common: hands-on work.

Motive Power - Trades in this sector are related to machinery that moves and/or transports people or goods. Due to the vast geography of the United States, we are dependent on skilled workers to retain, build and maintain vehicles. The motive power sector is active and dynamic year-round.

Industrial - Trades in the industrial sector are mainly related to the manufacturing and secondary industry. Of the four trades sector, the industrial sector has the most variety.

Service - Trades/ activities in this sector include retail, real estate, education, health, social work, communication, and many others. It may involve working directly with people like child and youth workers or child development practitioners. It is a very dynamic sector that covers a wide range of skill sets and career opportunities.

SOME TRADES REQUIRE A LICENSE OR CERTIFICATION

There are two paths to a license or certification:

Apprenticeship: This will be a good option if you do not have a lot of experience in the trade. Once you complete the apprenticeship requirements, you will be able to obtain a journeyman’s license. To get more information about the apprenticeship pathway, research the trade you are interested in.

School: You can attend classes at either a trade school or a community college to earn their trade certificates.  Community College: Community colleges can offer a wide variety of accredited trade certificate programs taught by instructors who are trained to teach, in addition to the skills they are teaching you.

Benefits of Working in the Trades

Trade School: Cheaper & Shorter.

Compensation: Trades Jobs Are Well-Paying.

Job Security: The Skilled Trades Can't Be Outsourced.

Availability: There Are Plenty of Jobs For the Taking.

MILITARY

The military is a good career for certain personality types. There is more structure and protocol than you'll find in many civilian jobs. You'll move around as assigned, and you and your family may not have a choice where you go. There is the risk of being deployed in times of war.

Occupations in the Military

There are more than 800 different types of jobs available in the various branches of the United States Armed Forces. Although some service members work in occupations specific to the military, such as fighter pilots or infantrymen, many work in occupations that also exist in the civilian workplace, such as nurses, doctors, and lawyers. Members serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, or in the Reserve components of these branches, and in the Air National Guard and Army National Guard. (The Coast Guard, which is included in this profile, is part of the Department of Homeland Security.)

Requirements for Entry to the Military

  • You must be a U.S. citizen or a resident alien.
  • Be between the ages of 17-34.
  • Have a high school diploma.
  • Have no more than two dependents.
  • Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test.
  • Pass a Military Entrance Processing Station medical exam.

Learn more about military occupations by looking up a local recruiting office for the branch of service which interests you.