Everyone needs help from people in the trades at some point. Electricians, plumbers, hairstylists, and other tradespeople are essential for keeping people’s lives running smoothly. However, many other people support the trades as suppliers, store clerks, software designer, office managers, and more. If you want to work indirectly with the trades, you can find many ways to support these essential jobs.

According to Statistics Canada, close to twenty-five percent of the population works in a skilled trade, although that number may rise or fall, depending on the state of the economy and other factors. All of those tradespeople, and workers in other kinds of trades, need support to perform their jobs well.

One of the first needs is for training. Instructors at trade schools, janitors, kitchen staff, etc. can help support the trades by making sure that students have what they need. Without people doing some of these jobs, training for tradespeople would be much more difficult. Working with government or private programs to encourage people to enter the trades is another option. Administrators or office staff working with options such as the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program can help inform people of the possibilities of jobs in the skilled trades and assist them in filling out application forms and other tasks.

Some of these types of programs are quite general and can apply to anyone, but others have a specific focus. For example, the Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor, Inc., is for women in a specific area of Ontario. However, the Canadian Association of Women in Construction is for women in the trades across Canada. This organization also includes lawyers, engineers, architects, and others who are necessary for a trade to succeed. Choosing one of these careers can be very helpful for supporting electricians, plumbers, and others.

Large businesses in the trades might also need marketers or others who can help connect the tradespeople with customers. A business is unlikely to find customers if no one knows about it, and a bad marketing strategy can drive people away. However, a good marketer can indirectly support the trade by finding customers for the work.

Suppliers are very important for the trades. Electricians, for example, need wires and other tools, and people in other trades have their own requirements. People who can find these types of supplies and make them available help to keep the tradespeople working. Being reliable is very important in this work, since people need to know that they will be able to get their nails, wires, or other supplies at the right time.

Technology is another area that indirectly supports the trades. Computer programs, for example, help tradespeople keep track of or order supplies, schedule jobs, and do many other tasks related to their main work. Designing this kind of software can help support tradespeople so that they spend less time on keeping track of different aspects of their jobs and more time at the actual work. If the business is large enough for an office manager, this person can take on many of these tasks to help the tradespeople.

Working in the trades can be dangerous, and many people need help in dealing with injuries. Nurses, doctors, and physiotherapists are some of the people who can help with that. This work might involve minor injuries like sprained fingers or small scrapes and bruises, but often the problems are more severe and may require surgery or long-term care.

Working in the trades is not for everyone, but many jobs supporting the trades are still available. One of these careers might be right for you.

Bibliography:

Careers in Construction. “Organizations the Help Women Get Started in the Construction Trades.” https://www.careersinconstruction.ca/en/why-construction/opportunities-women/organizations-help-women-get-started-construction-trades.

HR Reporter Canada. “Boosting the Trades.” https://www.hrreporter.com/opinion/editors-desk/boosting-the-trades/335631.

Kong, Stacy Lee. “10 Reasons You Should Absolutely Consider a Career in the Skilled Trades.” https://www.macleans.ca/work/10-reasons-to-consider-a-career-in-skilled-trades/

Steckler, Michael. “3 Ways to Help Tradespeople Save Time and Improve Efficiency.” https://www.sage.com/en-gb/blog/tradespeople-save-time-improve-efficiency/.