Explore Careers
Professions that require hands-on talent, such as electrical repair, plumbing and HVAC maintenance, fall under the category of skilled trades. You might wonder, "Don't all jobs require skills?" Although the industry name sounds vague, it does point out the unique position of these workers because their skills are tangible in a way that others aren't. With so many trades to choose from, finding the right one can seem challenging.
Select An Occupation Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers Automotive Engineering Technicians Avionics Technicians Bakers Biofuels Processing Technicians Boilermakers Butchers and Meat Cutters Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Chemical Plant and System Operators Chemical Technicians Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers Conveyor Operators and Tenders Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders Crane and Tower Operators Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Dental Laboratory Technicians Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers Engine and Other Machine Assemblers Etchers and Engravers Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Food Batchmakers Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Food Scientists and Technologists Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Foundry Mold and Coremakers Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Furniture Finishers Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators Gas Plant Operators Gem and Diamond Workers Geothermal Technicians Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Graphic Designers Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Helpers--Production Workers Hoist and Winch Operators Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians Industrial Machinery Mechanics Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic Log Graders and Scalers Machinists Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Maintenance Workers, Machinery Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Mechanical Drafters Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians Medical Appliance Technicians Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Millwrights Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Model Makers, Metal and Plastic Model Makers, Wood Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders Packers and Packagers, Hand Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic Patternmakers, Wood Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Photonics Technicians Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Potters, Manufacturing Pourers and Casters, Metal Prepress Technicians and Workers Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Print Binding and Finishing Workers Printing Press Operators Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Riggers Robotics Technicians Rock Splitters, Quarry Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Semiconductor Processing Technicians Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Sewers, Hand Sewing Machine Operators Sheet Metal Workers Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Slaughterers and Meat Packers Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Terrazzo Workers and Finishers Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Tire Builders Tool and Die Makers Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners Upholsterers Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Wind Turbine Service Technicians Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
