Career Paths · Skilled Trades

Skilled Trades Careers: Jobs, Licensing and Apprenticeships.

The trades pay well, can’t be shipped overseas, and are hiring. They are also hands-on and, in most states, licensed. Here’s what the work is, how licensing and apprenticeships work, and how to pay for training.

Do I Qualify?

The field

Are the trades right for you?

The trades suit people who like working with their hands, solving physical problems, and seeing the result of a day’s work. The trade-off compared with office jobs: the work is physical, and most licensed trades combine classroom hours with thousands of supervised, on-the-job hours. That path takes time, but you can earn while you learn.

Common roles

Skilled trades you can train for

For each trade: what the work is, the typical training path, the certifications involved, and whether you can train online. Licensing rules vary by state — the example table further down uses Massachusetts; check the rules where you plan to work.

Electrician

Install and maintain wiring, power, lighting and control systems in homes and businesses.

Typical training
An apprenticeship: classroom hours plus supervised on-the-job hours over about four years.
Certifications
State journeyman license (via exam); no national certificate required.
License
Licensed in most states. Example (Massachusetts): journeyman (Class B) needs 8,000 supervised hours over at least four years plus a 600-hour course, then the state exam.
Can you train online?
Partly. Some related theory can be online, but licensing requires supervised in-person hours.

HVAC/R Technician

Install and service heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems.

Typical training
An apprenticeship or approved study, plus federal EPA 608 certification to handle refrigerant.
Certifications
Federal EPA 608 (required to handle refrigerant); plus a state license where required.
License
Licensing varies by state. Example (Massachusetts): a refrigeration technician license (6,000 apprentice hours, or 450 hours of approved study) plus federal EPA 608.
Can you train online?
Partly. Theory and EPA 608 exam prep can be online; hands-on hours are in person.

Plumber

Install and repair pipes, fixtures and systems that carry water and gas.

Typical training
An apprenticeship: practical hours plus theory over about three years, then the journeyman exam.
Certifications
State journeyman license (via exam); gas fitting is often licensed separately.
License
Licensed in most states. Example (Massachusetts): apprentices need at least 5,100 practical hours plus 300 hours of theory before the journeyman exam.
Can you train online?
Partly. Some theory can be online; supervised hours are in person.

Welder

Join metal parts for construction, manufacturing and repair using heat and specialized tools.

Typical training
A short technical program plus a lot of hands-on practice.
Certifications
Voluntary AWS (American Welding Society) certification; employer weld tests.
License
Generally no statewide license; employers rely on weld tests and AWS certification.
Can you train online?
Mostly no — welding is a hands-on skill you build in a shop.

Getting in

How you actually get into a trade

The trades work differently from healthcare or IT. You can’t certify your way in from a laptop — but you also don’t pay for years of school up front. You learn the theory and get paid to do the hands-on work at the same time.

  1. Learn the theory. Code, safety, math and how systems work — this part can be online or in a classroom. Many people also do OSHA 10 or 30 safety training here, and, for HVAC/refrigeration, prep for the federal EPA 608 certification.
  2. Get into a registered apprenticeship. You work under a licensed tradesperson and earn a paid wage while you build the supervised hours your state requires. BLS describes trade apprenticeships as 4- to 5-year programs with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training each year.
  3. Log your hours and classroom time. Each trade sets its own mix of on-the-job hours and classroom hours.
  4. Pass the state exam and get licensed. Once you meet the hours and pass the exam you become a journeyman — and your pay steps up.

Example: how licensing works in Massachusetts

Licensing is set state by state. The table below is a Massachusetts example to show the shape of the requirements — the specific hours and boards differ where you live, so always check your own state.

TradeClassroom / theorySupervised work hoursLicense (MA example)Also required
Electrician600-hour Journeyman’s Course8,000 hours over at least 4 yearsJourneyman (Class B) exam — Board of State Examiners of Electricians—
HVAC/R Technician450 hours approved study (or 6,000 apprentice hours)Included in the apprentice routeRefrigeration Technician licenseFederal EPA 608 to handle refrigerant
Plumber300 hours of theory5,100 practical hours (about 3 years)Journeyman exam — Board of Plumbers & Gas FittersGas fitting is licensed separately
WelderShort technical programPlenty of hands-on shop practiceNo statewide licenseVoluntary AWS certification; employer weld tests

Massachusetts example sources: mass.gov licensing boards (237 CMR 13 electricians; 248 CMR 11 plumbers), Massachusetts Refrigeration Technician licensing, and federal EPA 608. Checked 2026.

What online learning can and can’t do. You can genuinely learn the theory, code and safety online, and do OSHA and EPA 608 exam prep on a screen. What you cannot do online is the supervised, hands-on hours a license requires — those happen on real job sites under a licensed tradesperson. Treat online study as the classroom half of an apprenticeship, not a replacement for it.

Paying for it

You may not have to pay out of pocket

Training costs money, but you may not have to cover it yourself. Public workforce funding can pay tuition for people who qualify, and employers can often get reimbursed for training their staff. Our funding guides explain how these programs work and how to check what you may qualify for.

Check what you may qualify for

Skilled trades FAQ

Can I learn a skilled trade online?

Only partly. You can study theory, code and safety online, but the trades are hands-on and licenses require supervised, in-person work hours. The honest path pairs online or classroom coursework with an apprenticeship.

How long does it take to get licensed in a trade?

It varies by trade and by state. Licensed trades typically require a mix of classroom hours and thousands of supervised, on-the-job hours — often a 4- to 5-year apprenticeship — before you sit for a state exam. Always check the rules where you plan to work.

Do I need a license for every trade?

No. Electricians, plumbers and refrigeration/HVAC technicians are licensed in most states, with requirements set by state boards. Welding generally has no statewide license — employers use hands-on weld tests and voluntary AWS certification.

How do I pay for trade training?

Registered apprenticeships let you earn while you learn. You may also qualify for publicly funded training. See our funding guides and use the Do I Qualify? check.

Does Career Skills Center offer skilled trades training?

Not yet. Career Skills Center plans to offer training in healthcare, IT and the skilled trades. Join the interest list to get updates when we launch.

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