Career ladders
The trades aren’t a job. They’re a ladder.
Nobody stays an apprentice. Here’s where four major trades actually lead — rung by rung, with honest timelines. Wage figures are typical U.S. patterns; your region and union status move them, usually up.
⚡ Electrician
1
Apprentice · Years 1–5
Paid from day one — typically 40–60% of journeyman scale, with scheduled raises
2
Journeyman · Year 4–6+
Licensed, full scale — median pay is above $62K nationally (BLS), well higher in many regions
3
Foreman / Lead · Year 7+
Running crews — typically a 10–25% premium over journeyman scale
4
Master / Estimator / Contractor · Year 10+
Master license opens contracting, estimating, inspection, and business ownership
🔧 Plumber / Pipefitter
1
Apprentice · Years 1–5
Earn-while-you-learn through UA locals or open-shop programs
2
Journeyman · Year 4–6+
Licensed plumber or fitter at full scale
3
Foreman / Service Manager · Year 7+
Crew leadership or running a service division
4
Master Plumber / Contractor · Year 10+
Your license becomes a business — plumbing contractors are chronically scarce
❄️ HVAC Technician
1
Apprentice / Helper · Years 1–4
EPA 608 certification early; paid install and service work
2
Service Technician · Year 3–5+
Diagnostic work — the lighter-on-the-body lane with strong demand
3
Controls / BAS Specialist · Year 5+
Building automation — the tech-heavy, highest-ceiling lane in the trade
4
Service Manager / Contractor · Year 8+
Managing techs or owning the company
🔥 Welder
1
Apprentice / Production Welder · Years 1–3
Structural and production work while stacking certifications
2
Certified Pipe / TIG Welder · Year 3–5+
Each certification is a raise — pipe and TIG certs command premiums
3
Traveling / Specialty Welder · Year 5+
Turnarounds, pipelines, and shutdown work pay exceptionally — for those willing to travel
4
CWI Inspector / Instructor · Year 8+
Certified Welding Inspector — the knees-friendly, high-paying second act
Timelines and pay vary by region, union status, and specialty. Journeyman electrician median from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
