The Lost Art Of the Skilled Trades

Career change at 40? Learn how skilled trades careers, plumbing apprenticeships, and the Trade Up Program help adults start working with your hands. Host Andrew Brown sits down with Lixil America’s Senior National Sales Trainer Vinny Arnese to unpack what it really looks like to make a career change at 40, begin a plumbing apprenticeship, join the Skilled Trades, or shift into a hands-on career th...

Union-backed skilled trades careers create long-term opportunity. Tom Bigley joins host Andrew Brown to break down trade school options, union benefits, and how to launch a successful path in the trades industry. Host Andrew Brown sits down with Tom Bigley, Director of Plumbing Services for the United Association, to explore how today’s skilled trades careers really work—covering everything from p...

Behind every home built and tool lifted, the Home Depot Foundation is powering skilled trades careers through its Path to Pro trade programs. Courtney Jenkins from the Home Depot Foundation joins host Andrew Brown to discuss how to start a career in the trades, and what’s next for the trades industry. Host Andrew Brown welcomes Courtney Jenkins, Manager of National Programs and Strategic Partnersh...

Electrician apprenticeship, union vs non-union electricians, and the career change to trades — a story for anyone wondering if it’s too late to start over. Host Andrew Brown sits down with Brandon McKane, a former Trader Joe’s manager who walked away from corporate life at 36 to begin an electrician apprenticeship and rebuild his life in the skilled trades industry. With over 80,000 electricians n...

Cobot welding, welding automation, and collaborative robots are transforming skilled trades careers amid a major welder shortage. Host Andrew Brown talks with Sam Noland of ITW Miller Welding Automation about how cobot welding empowers Tradespeople across Carpentry, HVAC, Electricians, Plumbers, Millwrights, and Construction. They explore training, ROI, and how automation is elevating—not replacin...

Welding careers, skilled trades, and welding apprenticeship programs take center stage as Andrew Brown sits down with John King of JK Welding at the FABTECH welding expo. Host Andrew Brown explores how welding careers grow through passion, not just pay, and why Skilled Trades like construction, HVAC, plumbing, and carpentry remain the backbone of the Trades Industry. From welding apprenticeship pr...

Skilled trades careers and welding salaries revealed! Host Andrew Brown talks with Western Welding Academy’s Tyler Sasse about apprenticeships, high-pressure pipe welding, and how Gen Z is reshaping the trades industry. Host Andrew Brown talks with Tyler Sasse, CEO of Western Welding Academy, to uncover the realities of skilled trades careers today. From welding jobs salary myths to the truth abou...

What would you do with $50 million? Lowe’s decided to invest it into the future of the skilled trades—training 50,000 people for careers in plumbing, welding, electrical, HVAC, and more. Host Andrew Brown sits down with Betsy Conway, Director of the Lowe’s Foundation, to explore how skilled trades careers are being shaped by Lowe’s Foundation grants, plumbing apprenticeship programs, and SkillsUSA...

Women in welding, skilled trades careers, and welding education programs take center stage. Shanen Aranmor of Weld Like a Girl joins host Andrew Brown to explore virtual welding training, SkillsUSA welding, and how mentorship and early exposure shape the next generation of tradespeople. Host Andrew Brown sits down with Shanen Aranmor, founder of Weld Like a Girl, to discuss breaking stigmas in the...

Autism skilled trades programs are transforming careers. Danny Combs joins Andrew Brown to discuss TACT, electrician training, and workforce development. Host Andrew Brown speaks with Danny Combs, founder of Teaching the Autism Community Trades (TACT), about how autism skilled trades programs create real opportunities for employment for autistic adults in trades. They break down how electrician tr...

Careers in manufacturing and skilled trades jobs are booming. Roger Atkins (NTMA) joins Andrew Brown to discuss manufacturing apprenticeship programs, reshoring manufacturing USA, and high paying trade careers. Host Andrew Brown sits down with Roger Atkins, President of the National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA), to explore how today’s skilled trades jobs are shaping the future of the...

From nursing to female mechanic, flipping cars for profit, and building Crown's Corner Mechanic. Host Andrew Brown talks with Desiree Hill, known as She Mechanic , about her bold career change to trades—from healthcare to launching Crown’s Corner Mechanic. They explore how women are breaking into skilled trades careers, what it takes to succeed as a female mechanic, and the role of flipping cars f...

Want a high-paying plumbing trade career? Daniel Quinonez joins Andrew Brown to share plumbing apprenticeship programs, PHCC Educational Foundation training, and plumbing job opportunities. Host Andrew Brown talks with Daniel Quinonez, COO of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association and leader within the PHCC Educational Foundation, about building successful plumbing trade careers. The...

Women in STEM are rising. Meet Destiny Simone Adams, a TikTok STEM creator breaking barriers in robotics competitions and Skilled Trades education. Host Andrew Brown talks with Destiny Simone Adams, a STEM content creator and advocate for Black Girls Who Code, about competing in all-male robotics competitions, building her personal brand on TikTok, and creating inclusive paths in the Skilled Trade...

Skilled trades shortage is a growing crisis. Mark Hedstrom joins Andrew Brown to discuss workforce gaps, SkillsUSA, and trade school vs college realities. The skilled trades shortage is no longer coming. It’s here. In this episode, Host Andrew Brown speaks with Mark Hedstrom, Executive Director of the Skilled Careers Coalition, live from the floor of the SkillsUSA competition in Atlanta. Together,...

Discover how to become an RV tech and why this skilled trade is booming in 2025 and beyond. Andrew Brown sits down with Curtis Hemmeler from the RV Technical Institute to explore the RV technician career path, certification options, wages, and why this trade offers long-term opportunity for career changers, high schoolers, and women entering the trades. With over 8 million RVs on the road and fewe...

From sweeping floors to leading crews on the Freedom Tower, Josh Nieves shares his powerful journey through the IBEW apprenticeship program and into the heart of the skilled trades. This episode dives into union vs non-union paths, electrician salary progression, and how mentorship can change everything Andrew Brown sits down with Josh Nieves, IBEW electrician and Workforce Development Manager at...

Skilled trades summer camps are transforming lives. Angie Simon joins Andrew Brown to talk trades careers, apprenticeships, and women in construction programs. Host Andrew Brown speaks with Angie Simon, founder of the Heavy Metal Summer Experience, about how skilled trades summer camps are creating real careers in the trades for youth. From women in construction programs to sheet metal apprentices...

Roger Wakefield—plumbing legend and trades influencer—shares how to become a plumber, grow your brand, and start a successful plumbing business. Host Andrew Brown sits down one of the most recognized names in the trades industry, Roger Wakefield, to break down how to become a plumber , succeed as an apprentice, and build a powerful personal brand as a trades professional. With millions of views on...

Roof replacement signs, scaling a roofing business, and how to recruit skilled labor-- Trenton Wisecup joins Andrew Brown to unpack all this and more. Host Andrew Brown sits down with Trenton Wisecup, founder of Arrow Roofing and Empower Me Consulting, to dive into the reality of scaling a roofing business in today’s skilled trades industry. They explore how to identify roof replacement signs befo...

Skilled trades career paths offer high paying jobs without a degree. Ryan Eisenhauer joins Andrew Brown to break down trade school vs college, apprenticeships, and mentorship. Host Andrew Brown sits down with Ryan Eisenhauer, aka Ike from Construction Mentor , to talk about skilled trades career paths, the reality of apprenticeship opportunities in construction, and how to succeed with or without...

Want more leads in the trades? Marcus Sheridan joins host Andrew Brown to talk self-service tools, pricing estimators, and trusted brand building strategies. Host Andrew Brown sits down with marketing expert, speaker, and former pool contractor Marcus Sheridan to break down what it really takes to build a trusted brand in the skilled trades today. They cover everything from using AI in the trades...

Want to join the skilled trades as a woman? Judaline Cassidy shares how to start, find support, and thrive in a trades career, from plumbing to advocacy. Host Andrew Brown sits down with master plumber and trades advocate Judaline Cassidy, founder of Tools and Tiaras, to talk about how women can break into the skilled trades. They dive into the reality of being a female plumber, how trades careers...

Skilled trades careers are booming, from trade school welding programs to women in skilled trades. William Myers of Ancora Education shares why now's the time. Host Andrew Brown sits down with welding educator and skilled trades advocate Bill Myers of Ancora Education to explore how to launch a welding career in today’s trades industry. They dive into the structure of trade school welding programs...

Ferguson is investing big in skilled trades education. Melissa Hazelwood joins host Andrew Brown to reveal how they're building trades labs for plumbing, HVAC & more. Join host Andrew Brown on The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades as he talks with Melissa Hazelwood, Director of Community Relations at Ferguson, about how one of America’s top plumbing and HVAC distributors is helping solve the trad...