Trade schools can become a steady hiring lane
More students are choosing hands-on career training. Service business owners can help shape that training and meet workers before they enter the job market.
The worker pipeline is growing in several states. Michigan had nearly 115,000 students in career and technical education during the 2024-25 school year, according to WOWO. Oklahoma CareerTech serves about 151,000 students from kindergarten through grade 12, according to FOX23.
Those totals cover many fields, not just the trades. Still, both states are putting more focus on construction and other hands-on careers. That creates a clear opening for plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and other service firms that need new workers.
Students need a clear path into real work
Career training works best when students take several classes in one field, learn at a job, and work with teachers who know the industry, according to WOWO. Partnerships with schools and colleges also help. This means an owner can play a useful role before a student applies for a full-time job.
Michigan lets people with work experience teach career classes through state career authorizations. The state granted about 1,400 of those authorizations during the 2024-25 school year, according to WOWO. That gives experienced tradespeople a way to bring current field skills into a classroom.
Career programs can also connect with college. Many Michigan programs let students earn college credit while completing career training. Community colleges are also working with unions on apprenticeship programs that can count toward a college credential.
The lesson for owners is simple. A trade path does not have to compete with college. A firm can offer paid field learning while a student keeps building skills and credentials.
Apprenticeships take structure
Oklahoma is studying how to expand apprenticeships in construction and aerospace. Registered apprenticeship programs require at least 2,000 hours of job training and 144 hours of related instruction, according to FOX23. Oklahoma CareerTech programs require at least 510 job-training hours and 90 hours of related instruction.
Every person in an Oklahoma CareerTech apprenticeship gets a mentor and a state-recognized certificate. CareerTech leaders said the program can help businesses set up apprenticeships at no cost. One program moved from a request to launch within 72 hours, according to FOX23.
That support may lower the setup burden for a small firm. But the employer still needs to provide steady work, close supervision, and someone who can teach. An apprentice is not just an extra set of hands for busy days.
Oklahoma officials are also asking lawmakers to let high school students spend half the school day in approved apprenticeships. Current state law limits internship hours to two hours each school day, according to FOX23. Officials said that limit can make it hard for employers to take part.
Pay and job details matter
Michigan projects potential pay of about $45 an hour, or roughly $93,600 a year, for electricians and plumbers, according to WOWO. Those workers generally enter through apprenticeships. The figures show why students may be interested, but an owner should still explain local starting pay, training steps, licensing needs, and the time it takes to advance.
Not every career program leads to the same result. Michigan experts said outcomes depend on the field and the program. Owners should look past broad claims about trade careers and judge each school by what students can do safely on a real job.
Demand is already pressing the system. Oklahoma CareerTech said demand for technology center programs has risen 40% since the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving many students on waiting lists. A company that builds a direct school link may meet good candidates sooner than one that waits for public job posts.
What an owner can do this week
- Call the local high school, career center, or community college. Ask who runs plumbing, HVAC, electrical, or construction training.
- Request the rules for job-based learning. Ask about student hours, insurance, mentor duties, and any state help for starting an apprenticeship.
- Choose one skilled worker who can mentor. Give that person a short training checklist and time to teach safely.
- Write a plain one-page career path. List the starting role, skills to learn, expected training, and the steps toward higher responsibility.