Category: Jobs

Today, most high school graduates think that college is their only choice in order to get a good job entering the workforce. However, it was not too long ago that apprenticeships were the primary way for someone to get a great job in a field they truly loved. Becoming a plumber’s apprentice – and eventually a licensed plumber – is an often overlooked but great career opportunity for young professionals who don’t want to go to a four-year university. 

 

While plumbing might not be a glamorous job, it can be highly lucrative, stable, and recession-proof if one dedicates themselves to the trade. In general, trade jobs are more stable and have higher rates of job satisfaction than other careers because they are active, skilled, and aren’t affected by recessions because of their year-round necessity. If you or your child is looking for an alternative career path, here’s what they should know about becoming a plumber’s apprentice: 

 

What is a plumbing apprenticeship? 

Plumbers must go through both classroom and on-the-job training before they can become licensed journeymen or master plumbers. Typically, these programs are sponsored by a union, trade school, or private company and require a certain amount of hours plus a certifying exam to pass. However, they are often structured as earn-while-you-learn programs, helping both young professionals and those looking to switch careers handle schooling and work at the same time. 

 

What does a plumber’s apprentice do?

Plumbing apprenticeships require both class time and on-the-job training. During your first few months, you will observe, help load equipment on job sites, and ask questions about what you learn in class. However, the more you learn, the more responsibility you’ll be given to install, repair, and design plumbing systems for residential and commercial properties. 

 

How long do apprenticeships take?

Apprenticeships vary in pace and are dependent on an individual’s progress and dedication throughout the program. Typically, they take between two and five years, but some of the time you spend on the job site will be paid. The faster you learn, the less time it will take to advance through the program as well. 

 

Why become a plumber?

Becoming a plumber is one of the best options in the maintenance field, with a lucrative job outlook and high job satisfaction among licensed plumbers. If you’re interested in an alternative career path that doesn’t result in thousands of dollars of student debt or a boring desk job, becoming a plumber might be right for you. 

 

Visit the MaintenX careers page to learn more about what it’s like to be a plumber, or to search for jobs if you’re a recently graduated apprentice.

After high school, most young adults are encouraged to go to college, but there are equally rewarding and lucrative career options in the trades, one of the most rewarding being electrical work. The path of an electrician is often overlooked by young professionals first entering college, technical school, or the workforce for the first time. However, it is an affordable educational option that can become a stable, high-paying job not easily affected by recessions or other changes in the workforce. 

 

In order to become an electrician, however, you must complete an apprenticeship with a licensed and experienced electrician. Apprenticeships typically include both classroom time and on-the-job training, and are an affordable educational route for those who do not wish to go to a four-year university. 

 

What is an apprenticeship?

Prior to the popularity of universities, apprenticeships were the most common way for young professionals to enter the career of their choice. Nowadays, apprenticeships are rare, but electricians, plumbers, and some other trade careers still require them in order to learn the skills necessary for licensing. During an electrician’s apprenticeship, you’ll spend time in the classroom learning the science of electrical work, as well as many on-the-job hours where you can learn how to work on both residential and commercial electrical systems. 

 

What will I learn and do as an apprentice?

As an electrician’s apprentice, you’ll learn all about installing, repairing, and designing electrical systems. You may apprentice under a certain specialty such as residential or commercial work, but the core concepts will be the same. During your first few months, you will be on the sidelines watching, helping to move equipment, and asking questions as you study in the classroom. However, as your knowledge and experience increase, you’ll be given more and more responsibility. 

 

How do I get an apprenticeship?

Typically, apprenticeships are sponsored by a company, a union, or by a technical school. You must apply for the apprenticeship through one of these organizations, and meet the requirements including having a high school diploma or GED, a passing score on an aptitude test, and a stellar in-person interview. 

 

How long do apprenticeships last?

Electrician’s apprenticeships can last 2 to 5 years, depending on the individual structure of the program and your own progress within it. Some programs will take longer because involvement is spaced out, while others will fast-track you through the courses. Before applying, ask the program directors what to expect and how to prepare for your apprenticeship. 

 

Becoming an electrician is a rewarding experience with plenty of benefits. If you are interested in learning about becoming an electrician or are recently graduated and are looking for commercial work, visit our Career source for inside information on working with MaintenX!

Facility maintenance and facility management are tough roles to find exceptional talent. It takes incredible diligence, accountability, and enthusiasm for a job well done that not all people possess. Oftentimes facility management roles are seen as boring, but nobody is more important in maintaining the excellence of a business than those who care for the building and equipment where the magic happens. 

 

If you’re looking for those few special individuals who understand and care about facility management, you need to recruit using different tactics than you would for other positions. Below are three tips to help you recruit the best maintenance team members for your facility, as well as what to look for in the interview process: 

 

Outline a positive career trajectory

If you’re trying to recruit young talent, offer tangible options for career advancement through a facility management position. By showing the milestones, educational opportunities, and bigger salaries that are possible over the years, you can attract the kind of professionals who are serious about a career in maintenance management.

 

Offer opportunities to collaborate.

Facility management can often be a lonely job, with only the occasional onsite inspection or meeting with the maintenance department requiring a group effort. However, as organizations move to a more collaborative business model as a whole, you can make space for facility managers to work hands-on with their maintenance teams for a more rewarding experience overall. 

 

Emphasize work-life balance. 

It is often said that employees cause more stress on their managers than managers do on their employees. This is because management is responsible for not just one, but everyone’s jobs and often takes the ultimate blame when things go wrong. As a facility manager, stress can get to you if you don’t have a healthy work-life balance. In order to attract hard workers and keep them, promote a healthy work-life balance with paid time off, regular weekends, and options to pursue outside goals through educational or volunteer opportunities. 

What to Look For In A Facility Manager

With these three recruitment tips, you should be able to find top talent in the maintenance field. However, finding the perfect candidate for your business may take some time and research. When interviewing your candidates, look for these qualities: 

 

• Exceptional planning and task-oriented scheduling ability
• Understanding of financials and legal terms related to facility compliance
• Exceptionally detail-oriented and organized
• Computer-savvy and familiar with work-order management systems
• Interest in your company’s industry as well as the facility management field
• Up-to-date on sustainability in the maintenance field
• Ability to lead and communicate across departments
• Technical background as a maintenance worker a plus

With these tips and traits, you are guaranteed to find a facility manager that can do the job right. For more facility management resources, visit our blog.

Those in the maintenance field know that fewer and fewer young individuals are pursuing maintenance fields as career options after high school. While the increased access to college education has offered many opportunities for the next generation, those who are not interested in pursuing a college degree often don’t know what other options they have. It is important for us in the maintenance field to recruit these young minds and show them what is possible in the trades. 

 

Below are # proven ways to recruit students from community colleges into a trade school for plumbing, electrical, roofing, and HVAC maintenance:

 

Encourage confidence. 

Despite the fact that nearly 40% of college students are attending a community college, many believe that their qualifications will be judged more harshly than those graduating from four-year universities. Using language such as “Associates degrees encouraged to apply” and other community-college-friendly terms on applications can help these students feel more confident in their decision to move into the trades. 

 

Get involved on campus

Community college students are often looking for faster entry into the workforce than those in four-year universities (as many undergraduates are looking toward the future with Master’s or Doctorate degrees). The students will be active looking for job opportunities and will respond well to employers or technical school representatives involved on campus. 

 

Offer part-time work

Those looking into trade schools often want or need to be able to earn an income quickly with the skills acquired. By offering part-time options during or after school you can offer flexibility for those who do not have unlimited time to dedicate to school. 

 

Highlight the cost benefits

One of the reasons many people choose technical school over other types of education is the cost benefits. Technical school costs between $5,000 to $15,000 total, whereas a typical college education can cost that much per year. Technical school students also have the option to work while they study, and must often complete apprenticeships that help them line up jobs immediately out of college. This means that technical school students are in less debt and start earning two years ahead of college students, which is a major benefit for those looking to earn more, faster. 

 

MaintenX is always looking for bright young technical school grads to add to our growing team. If you’re interested in starting your career with MaintenX, visit our careers center for a list of our open positions. 

It is not news to those of us in the facility management field that apprentices and young talent in electrical, plumbing, and HVAC repair are rare. With so many young adults being pushed toward the colleges over vocational training, and scholarships becoming easier to obtain, there is a steep dropoff in the number of new mechanics, electricians, plumbers, and technicians available in the workforce. And, as the “baby boomer” generation retires, there will be even fewer skilled workers for maintenance teams to recruit. 

 

Generating new talent is very important for MaintenX, which is why we use and recommend these tactics for recruiting high school students and young adults to the maintenance trades:

 

Competitive salaries and signing bonuses

Many high schoolers go straight to college in order to take advantage of their younger years and hopefully earn a bigger salary long-term. However, the maintenance field is increasingly becoming a more affordable means to an education, often with competitive salaries to boot. Some maintenance companies will even offer signing bonuses in order to attract top talent, which is an enticing proposition for someone choosing between college and vocational school. 

 

Compensating on- and off-the-job training 

For those who don’t go to a traditional vocational school, apprenticeships offer the opportunity to learn on the job and earn a bit of money while doing it. Though not all apprenticeships are paid, the most competitive spots provide a living wage. This incentivizes the apprentices and provides them a means to focus solely on their training. 

 

Selling the benefits

There are plenty of reasons that young professionals would choose maintenance work over the traditional college route. It provides a quicker route into the workforce and offers a job that doesn’t involve desk work or tedious schooling. Active young adults are often drawn to professions that allow them to work with their hands and balance their jobs with learning opportunities. By selling the benefits of your apprenticeship that aren’t salary-based, you can show why becoming a maintenance technician is a fulfilling long-term option. 

 

MaintenX is thrilled to have young technicians come work for us and build the next generation of facility maintenance. To learn more about our job opportunities, visit our resource center. 

You no doubt heard many times that the most successful route you could take as a young adult is to pursue a four-year university degree and use it to launch a career. While that is certainly a great option that brings success to many, it is not the only route. In fact, more and more young people today are instead pursuing technical school and finding long and successful careers as a result. If you’ve dismissed the idea of technical school or are toying with the idea of going, here are a few compelling reasons to go.

 

There is great demand for technical jobs.

 

Construction is booming in most parts of the country. With this expansion, technical jobs in plumbing, electrical, and similar fields are in great demand. In order to obtain these jobs, a degree from a technical school is necessary. If you learn these skills and demonstrate aptitude at them, it can be easy to obtain technical jobs and launch a long and successful career.

 

There is profit to be made in technical fields.

 

Not only are jobs plentiful for technical fields, but they also tend to pay well due to high demand. For example, if you have the skills to repair air conditioning units and live in Florida, there will always be steady income and those willing to pay for urgent repairs. 

 

There is job security involving technical skills. 

 

Finally, there will always be a demand for technical skills, meaning that job security certainly exists for those with the skills to be successful. People will always need places to live, indoor plumbing, electricity and, in most areas, air conditioning, so therefore there will always be some demand for those that work in these fields.

 

Technical school is an excellent way to obtain the skills and certifications that you need in order to be successful in technical fields such as electrical and plumbing. These skills are important in facility maintenance as well, which is what we specialize at MaintenX. Our technicians are all highly trained and are always at the ready to assist in any kind of facility project and maintenance job. To learn more about our skills and to inquire and potential career jobs in maintenance, please call us today at (855) 751-0075.