Advocating for Skilled Trades

Internationally, skilled trade jobs face various stigmas and poor advocacy. Canadian stigmas around the trade industry parallel similar thoughts in the US.

So, how does advocacy help fight these assumptions? What does engaging advocacy look like? And after many years in the trade industry, how are professionals catering to new prospects and attracting new workers to the market?

Nick Tountas a Sheet Metal Worker for Orzech Heating and Cooling joins Greg Crumpton and Tyler Kern on this episode of Straight Outta Crumpton. Tountas has been working in trades throughout his career and plans to shift his path to a full- time endorsement and advocating for skilled trades.

“Advocate means I’m out spreading the gospel in a good way,” said Crumpton. Tountas primarily uses his online platforms to focus on learning about what working in trades means, the training required, benefits, career paths, and more. Recently, Tountas reframed his content around cooking while discussing a specific topic. “I’ve been using this platform of my cooking videos to talk about agencies that are out there, organizations that are out there,” said Tountas. Young people looking to get into trades don’t know where to start, or older people who want to start a second career are eager to learn more about it before taking the plunge. Early in his career, Tountas considered fully focusing on safety and regulations.

Crumpton, Kern, and Tountas also discuss…

● Attracting high-achieving individuals into the trade.

● Alternative ways of supporting and advocating for skilled trades.

● Why advocating for trade safety is important.

Tountas plans to get involved in a skills group that advocates for trades full-time. Continuing to break down stigmas, like trades aren’t careers, trades aren’t for women, trades are for criminals, trades aren’t safe, are a driving factor. Tountas is also considering going to higher education and getting his bachelor’s degree so that he can teach trades. “I’d like to pass along my knowledge and my passion for the trade,” said Tountas.

Tountas is a Red Seal Sheet Metal Worker with nearly 20 years of experience. He’s a health and safety Manager, advocate for Skilled Trades, and Creator of the Skilled Trade Network on Facebook.