What do a hotel clerk who fixed an ice machine on a whim, a man who walked out of prison and into a trade school, and a Marine who built a $100M HVAC company all have in common?

They found their way into one of the most in-demand, overlooked, and flat-out lucrative careers in America.

In this special episode of Skilled Nation, we're bringing together the expertise of three HVAC professionals who've lived every side of the industry — the grind, the growth, and the life-changing money.

Chris Watt — Senior HVAC Instructor at RSI — breaks down why this career is AI-proof, recession-proof, and more financially rewarding than most four-year degrees.

Michael Gabhart — co-founder of Blue Line HVAC — shares the brutal schedule, the $9,500 trade school debt, and the moment a rooftop paycheck notification made him grab his chest.

Jesse Keenan — founder of Semper Fi Home Services — talks culture, veterans in the trades, and why he has technicians making half a million dollars a year.

This isn't a recruitment pitch. It's the real story of what this career looks like — the good, the grind, and the ceiling that barely exists.

🎙️ Subscribe to Skilled Nation wherever you get your podcasts.

America doesn't have a shortage of skilled trades careers. It has a shortage of awareness, mentorship, and experienced workers to train the next generation.

In this episode of Skilled Nation, host Jimmy Rhoades sits down with Concetta Defa, electrician, workforce advocate, and host of Hire PowHER, to uncover the real reasons behind the skilled trades workforce shortage.

While many conversations focus on labor shortages, Concetta explains why the biggest challenge is the apprenticeship pipeline. As experienced journeyworkers retire, fewer mentors remain to train future electricians, lineworkers, heavy equipment operators, welders, HVAC technicians, plumbers, and other skilled professionals.

They also discuss:

• Why employers are ready to hire more skilled workers

• The apprenticeship bottleneck slowing workforce growth

• Why hands-on learning cannot be replaced by classrooms alone

• How Concetta became an electrician after a life-changing accident

• The role mentorship plays in building long-term careers

• Why more women are entering construction and energy careers

• Common misconceptions about skilled trades

• Why construction workers are some of the most highly skilled professionals in America

• How Hire PowHER is helping build the next generation of skilled workers

Whether you're a student, career changer, educator, employer, contractor, union member, or simply curious about the future of America's workforce, this conversation offers an inside look at the opportunities shaping the skilled trades.

Guest: Conchita Defa Electrician | Workforce Development Advocate | Host of Hire PowHER

HirePowHER.org

@HirePowHer

@GetintoEnergy

Everyone talks about the skilled trades shortage, but are the jobs really worth it?

In this episode of Skilled Nation, host Jimmy Rhoades sits down with Jacob Evanson, Business Manager of Boilermakers Local 627, for an honest conversation about the realities of working in the trades. They tackle the questions people are asking online:

• Do skilled trades actually pay enough?

• Is the work too hard on your body?

• How important are unions in today's workforce?

• What happens when projects end?

• Are apprenticeships better than college?

• Will AI replace skilled trade careers?

• How are data centers, semiconductor plants, mining, nuclear energy, and America's manufacturing revival creating new opportunities?

Jacob shares his own journey as a third-generation boilermaker and explains how apprenticeship programs, mentorship, healthcare benefits, pensions, continuing education, and union support systems help workers build long-term careers instead of simply finding jobs.

The conversation also explores mental health in construction, workforce shortages, career advancement into project management and welding inspection, and why skilled workers remain essential to America's future.

Whether you're a student, parent, career changer, veteran, or someone wondering if the trades are still a smart career path, this episode offers a candid look at what life in the skilled trades really looks like.

In this episode:

✔ Boilermaker careers explained

✔ Union vs non-union jobs

✔ Apprenticeship opportunities

✔ Skilled trades pay and benefits

✔ Mental health in construction

✔ Career growth beyond the tools

✔ Data centers and AI-driven infrastructure

✔ Energy, mining, and manufacturing jobs

✔ Workforce development in America

✔ The future of skilled trades

Learn more about Boilermakers Local 627: https://www.627.org

#SkilledNation #Boilermakers #SkilledTrades #UnionJobs #Apprenticeship #ConstructionCareers #Welding #Manufacturing #WorkforceDevelopment #DataCenters #NuclearEnergy #BlueCollar #TradeSchool #CareerChange #Infrastructure #PrattPodcasting