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3 Professional Trade Careers You Can Pursue NOW

July 6, 2022 | Ed2Go

Smiling blue collar worker holding clip board

If you are looking to enter the workforce quickly and begin earning right away, there are several lucrative careers within the professional trade industry worth exploring. Regardless of your experience level, professional trades offer the opportunity for career growth and success in as little as six months to a year. Check out three of our top training courses that prepare you for in-demand professional trade careers.

Freight Broker

Becoming a freight broker can become super easy once you get the right training. Most freight brokers do not have degrees, but they still excel in their jobs due to training programs that equip them with all the necessary skills. With the right knowledge, they can work with big logistics companies, handle legalities that can be tricky to sort out, and can keep clients happy with the skills they developed through learning. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that there will be 30% growth expected in the next five years for freight broker jobs. Furthermore, it also states that over 11 billion tons of freight are moved on land each year, and the numbers will only grow from here, so there will be a lot of demand for skilled freight brokers to keep the industry moving. 

From transportation law, contracts, and insurance, to setting up and running your own business, this is the best online freight broker training available. In as little as six months you can complete this freight broker training program, gaining access to all the resources needed to obtain your brokerage licensing/authority from the federal government. 

Residential Electrician

According to the BLS website, residential electricians make decent money with an average annual salary of $56,900. Moreover, the jobs for an electrician are expected to grow 9% from 2020 to 2030. This means there is an increasing need for skilled electricians in the industry, and now is the right time for you to get the training required so you can kick-start your career as soon as possible. 

How to become an electrician? The University of West Florida Continuing Education’s fully online Residential Electrician training course is designed to equip you with general and electrical safety procedures. Furthermore, it will teach how to handle hardware, electrical materials, and wiring, and you will learn how to read building plans and much more. 

You will earn essential wiring skills, such as installing an overhead service entrance, properly using hand and power tools, connecting electrical boxes to building framing members, splicing wires together correctly, and fishing a cable in an existing wall. Once the course is over, you will be well-prepared with the knowledge needed to appear for a residential licensing exam to begin your career as an electrician or apprentice. 

HVAC/R Technician

One of the most sought-after professions is the HVAC/R Technician. They are highly trained professionals who are skilled in installing, maintaining, repairing, or replacing air conditioners and any other climate control systems, including but not limited to heating equipment, ventilation, or refrigeration. 

According to the BLS website, an HVAC/R technician earns an average of $50,590 annually. The profession is projected to grow by 5% from 2020 to 2030, and about 38,500 openings for HVAC/R technicians are expected each year, on average, over the decade. 

UWF Continuing Education offers a fully online HVAC/R Technician training program that will teach you about heat transfer, BTU, temperature, sensible heat, latent heat, gas laws, and work. You will be able to tell how these concepts apply to the air conditioning and refrigeration systems. Furthermore, you will learn about the four key components that make the vapor compression cycle. You will also explore ways to identify and explain how the refrigeration system works and will learn how to install an air conditioning system. 

Once the course is over, you will be able to pass all HVAC Excellence ESCO Group: 17 Employment Ready Certificates, the NATE: Ready to Work Certificate, and the EPA 608 Universal Technician Certification. 

Learn more about all our online offerings that allow you to learn online and begin your career in as little as six months!