If you’re looking for a better paying job or charting your future, you might want to look at the skilled trades.
Hal Higdon is Chancellor at Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield.
He says there’s a real need for skilled workers because older workers are retiring, leaving an opening for younger workers to fill those high-paying jobs.
“So you’ve got more people retiring, fewer coming in. It’s called supply and demand. It’s simple economics.”
Higdon says with the right training, workers can have their choice of good jobs.
“We’re in an economy that is really, really, really hot right now. Skilled trades — such as carpentry, masonry, welding, anything to do with computers — are all in high demand right now.”
Higdon says if you’ve ever considered switching jobs, now is the time to do it.
“There’s a unique opportunity in this economy right now that you can switch your career. You can come to a place like OTC (and) you can take a 20 week welding program and…be making $25 (to) $28 an hour.”
The Springfield Chamber of Commerce says most skilled trade jobs don’t require a four year degree.
To find out more, go to our Framing Your Future page.
