The Lost Art Of the Skilled Trades

Welcome to The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades, the ultimate podcast dedicated to celebrating and exploring the world of skilled trades. Hosted by Andrew Brown, a passionate advocate for the trades industry, this podcast is your go-to source for knowledge, inspiration, and practical advice. Andrew brings a unique perspective shaped by years of hands-on experience, entrepreneurial success, and a deep commitment to elevating the trades. Dive into the fascinating and ever-evolving world of skilled trades, where creativity, problem-solving, and dedication come together to build the world around us. From carpentry and HVAC systems to electricians, plumbers, millwrights, and beyond, every episode uncovers the grit, determination, and artistry that define the people behind these essential professions. Andrew’s journey began with a life-changing moment on September 11, 2001, when he worked alongside tradespeople, first responders, and community helpers at Ground Zero. This experience inspired him to dedicate his life to advocating for the unsung heroes of the trades. Through his company, Andrew has helped provide tools, equipment, and resources to industry professionals worldwide. Now, through this podcast, he continues his mission to spotlight the craftsmanship, hard work, and dedication of tradespeople everywhere. Each episode features in-depth interviews with industry experts, seasoned professionals, and rising stars in the trades. From contractors and electricians to HVAC specialists, plumbers, carpenters, and more, listeners will gain insider knowledge about the skills, tools, and strategies needed to thrive in these essential fields. Andrew also speaks with educators, advocates, and business leaders who are working to inspire the next generation of tradespeople, offering a fresh perspective on the value and opportunities within the trades. At its core, The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades is more than just a podcast — it’s a celebration of a culture built on pride in craftsmanship and an unwavering commitment to excellence. In a time when traditional career paths are overemphasized, this podcast shines a light on an alternative: rewarding careers in skilled trades that offer creativity, financial stability, and the satisfaction of building something tangible. Whether you’re a seasoned trades professional, an aspiring craftsman, or simply curious about the industry, this podcast is your ultimate guide to the untold stories and secrets of success in trades like refrigeration, building, plumbing, and construction. Join Andrew Brown as he celebrates the artistry, resilience, and innovation of the skilled trades — and inspires a new generation to pick up the tools that keep our world running. About Andrew Brown Andrew Brown is a fervent advocate for the skilled trades and is dedicated to addressing and then fixing the trades shortage gap. Through platforms such as social media, podcasts, and live events, he tirelessly promotes the benefits of the trades to students, parents, and educators. Follow Andrew Brown YouTube: https://youtube.com/@andrewbrowntrades LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-brown-b1736a5/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrew.l.brown

The Lost Art Of the Skilled Trades is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 103 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Lost Art Of the Skilled Trades, a business show with 103 episodes published.

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  The Lost Art Of the Skilled Trades

  You Don't Have a Hiring Problem. You Have a First 90 Days Problem.

  Aug 11, 202631 min

  Employee retention doesn't start with recruiting it starts with the first 90 days. Host Andrew Brown breaks down what construction and manufacturing leaders do differently to keep new hires from quietly walking out the door. After more than a hundred interviews for The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades, Andrew set out to learn how companies recruit better. Instead, he kept hearing the same thing from guests across every trade, every state, every generation: nobody stays because of a great application process. They stay because of a person — a foreman, a mentor, a superintendent — who noticed them in the first few weeks on the job. This episode pulls together the pattern hiding in plain sight across dozens of conversations, including moments with welder Nate Bowman, workforce leader Glenda Rahn, Zekelman Industries CEO Barry Zekelman, and NCCER President and CEO Boyd Worsham. Each one, without knowing it, described the same three leadership behaviors that determine whether a new hire builds a career with your company or quietly starts looking elsewhere. If you lead a crew, run a shop, or manage new hires in any skilled trade, this episode gives you three practical moves to make this week — no bigger recruiting budget or new software required. IN THIS EPISODE (00:01) – The WTF moment: Why leaders get blindsided when a good employee quits without warning, and why the instinct to "recruit better" misses the real problem. (02:03) – The pattern behind 100+ interviews: How Andrew kept asking about recruiting and kept hearing about mentors instead, including Nate Bowman's welding helmet story and what it reveals about belonging. (09:32) – Pattern 1, Expectations: Glenda Rahn on why the "work ethic" problem is really a clarity problem, and what a 22-year-old project engineer told Andrew he actually wants from a leader. (14:35) – Pattern 2, Where leadership disappears: Barry Zekelman on walking the floor, the difference between orientation and onboarding, and why every leader needs to answer "who owns day 27?" (16:42) – Pattern 3, Confidence: Boyd Worsham's story about the instructor who taught him "the business of construction," not just the trade. (23:34) – The 3-part challenge: make success visible, check in before there's a problem, and give people a chance to succeed. Key Takeaways New hires decide whether they belong within the first 90 days — and that decision, not the recruiting process, is what determines whether they stay long term. Clear expectations beat motivation every time. Telling a new employee exactly what success looks like at day 7, 30, and 90 removes the uncertainty that causes early turnover. Onboarding is a relationship, not a one-day event. Leaders who put short check-ins on the calendar at day 14, 30, and 60 catch small problems before they become resignation letters. Confidence is built through experience, not given through speeches. Leaders who hand new employees real responsibility before they feel fully ready create the evidence that keeps people committed to a career, not just a job. About This Episode Andrew Brown hosts The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades, where he's interviewed hundreds of contractors, CEOs, foremen, apprentices, and workforce leaders across construction, manufacturing, and the skilled trades. This episode is a synthesis, not a single interview — it draws on recurring moments from guests including welder Nate Bowman, workforce development leader Glenda Rahn, Zekelman Industries CEO Barry Zekelman, and NCCER President and CEO Boyd Worsham. Their stories, told independently and without ever meeting each other, kept describing the same leadership behaviors — proof that the biggest opportunity in the skilled trades isn't just recruiting more people, it's leading the people who already said yes. Keywords employee onboarding, first 90 days, new hire retention, construction leadership, skilled trades retention, onboarding vs orientation, employee expectations, workforce retention, apprenticeship mentorship, construction workforce development, Andrew Brown, Nate Bowman, Glenda Rahn, Barry Zekelman, Zekelman Industries, Boyd Worsham, NCCER, The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades, manufacturing leadership, Gen Z workforce, foreman mentorship, employee belonging, workplace culture RESOURCE LINKS Andrew Brown: www.andrewbrownspeaker.com SUPPORT THE SHOW If you found value in this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps us keep telling the stories of the skilled trades.

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  The Lost Art Of the Skilled Trades

  Fixing Helicopters for a Living: How Miyah Spade Started in Aircraft Maintenance

  Aug 4, 202624 min

  Aircraft maintenance apprentice Miyah Spade of Canadian Helicopters breaks down what it really takes to keep planes and helicopters safely in the air — and why almost nobody knows this trade exists. Miyah just walked off the floor of an international aerospace maintenance skills competition in Orlando, where her team was the only one to fully complete their event — removing and reinstalling a 150-pound aircraft slide under a strict manual, timed, and inspected to the letter. She talks about what it takes to hold that much information under pressure, and introduces the "Dirty Dozen" — the twelve human factors, like distraction, pressure, and complacency, that aviation maintenance crews are trained to watch for on every real job, not just in competition. Miyah is an aircraft maintenance apprentice studying at Centennial College and working with Canadian Helicopters. She didn't grow up wrenching on dirt bikes or cars — she found her way in through a high school welding and auto shop class, then chose aircraft maintenance over auto body repair because, in her words, "it has a nice ring to it." Since then she's worked on everything from small Cessnas and Pipers to airliners and helicopters, including hands-on time in an overhaul shop tearing apart a helicopter's main rotor head after a real accident. If you're weighing a trade you've never heard of, wondering how to break into aviation without a four-year degree, or trying to figure out how to stand out when resumes get lost in a pile, this conversation is for you. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) – Cold Open: A "Dirty Dozen" teaser and a first look at Miyah Spade, aircraft maintenance apprentice at Canadian Helicopters. (01:07) – Only Team to Finish: Recapping the skills competition event Miyah just completed — removing and reinstalling a 150-pound aircraft slide under strict, line-by-line inspection. (02:57) – The Dirty Dozen: The twelve human factors — pressure, distraction, complacency — that aviation maintenance crews are trained to watch for every time they sign off on a real aircraft. (03:48) – From Welding to Wings: How a high school auto shop and welding class led Miyah away from cars and into aircraft maintenance. (07:09) – Choosing Helicopters: Why Miyah picked helicopters over big airliners — camping in the bush under a tarp, and landing a job with Canadian Helicopters. (13:30) – Like a Detective: Tearing apart a helicopter's main rotor head after a real accident, and why talking to people beats sending resumes when breaking into the trade. Key Takeaways Aircraft maintenance is a skilled trade almost nobody knows about, even though every flight's safety depends on the mechanics working behind the scenes, not just the pilot. Aviation safety culture is built around the "Dirty Dozen" — pressure, distraction, and complacency are treated as real, named threats, not just workplace buzzwords. You don't need a childhood spent under the hood of a car to succeed in this trade — Miyah came from art and a single high school shop class, not a family of mechanics. Networking beats resumes in aircraft maintenance hiring — cold applications get lost in the pile, but a phone call or a walk-in conversation with a director of maintenance can open doors a resume never will. About the Guest Miyah Spade is an aircraft maintenance apprentice studying at Centennial College and working with Canadian Helicopters. Across her apprenticeship she's worked on small training aircraft, airliners, and helicopters, and spent a summer in Canadian Helicopters' overhaul shop and technical records department getting exposure to nearly every side of the operation. She competed at an international aerospace maintenance skills competition, was part of the only team to fully complete her event, and now advocates for getting more trade exposure in front of students who don't know aircraft maintenance is even an option. Keywords aircraft maintenance technician, aircraft maintenance engineer, helicopter mechanic, aviation maintenance apprentice, AME apprenticeship, aviation maintenance career, skilled trades in aviation, aircraft mechanic training, Centennial College aviation program, Miyah Spade, Canadian Helicopters, Aerospace Maintenance Competition, women in skilled trades, Sikorsky helicopters RESOURCE LINKS Miyah Spade on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/miyahspade Canadian Helicopters Website: https://www.canadianhelicopters.com/ SUPPORT THE SHOW If you found value in this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps us keep telling the stories of the skilled trades.

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  The Lost Art Of the Skilled Trades

  The Trades Need Workers. So Why Can’t People Get Hired?

  Jul 21, 202652 min

  Jason Altmire and Riley Burr, co-authors of Trade Up, break down why the skilled trades pipeline is broken — and the fix isn't just more people, it's better retention. The math doesn't work: the number of Americans over 65 grows 3% every year while the under-18 population shrinks 0.2% annually, and there are already 15% fewer kids in kindergarten than there are high school seniors. That gap keeps widening until at least 2041. At the exact same time, record numbers of college graduates can't find jobs while record numbers of employers can't fill open trades roles — a paradox Jason and Riley unpack in detail, alongside a catch-22 most people never talk about: trade school graduates being locked out of entry-level jobs because employers demand three to five years of experience they have no way to get. Jason Altmire is President and CEO of Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU), the national trade association for private postsecondary career schools, and a former three-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Riley Burr is Executive Director of the CECU Research Foundation and VP of Policy and Research at CECU, with a background authoring federal workforce and education reports. Together they wrote Trade Up: Why the Future Belongs to Skilled Trades and How Career Education is Transforming the Workforce — a data-driven look at the "Toolbelt Generation" and the systems failing to connect willing workers to open jobs. This episode is for parents trying to guide a kid toward a real career path, Gen Z workers weighing trade school against a four-year degree, employers struggling with 90-day attrition, and anyone who wants the actual data behind the skilled trades shortage instead of the headlines. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) – The impossible math: Jason and Riley explain why an aging population and a shrinking youth pipeline make the skilled trades shortage a demographic problem, not just a recruiting problem. (08:00) – The zero-experience catch-22: why trade school graduates with the right soft skills keep getting rejected for lacking three to five years of experience, and what "qualified applicant" actually means to employers. (16:00) – Broken pipelines: guidance counselors who only know how to advise for college, a state charter trade school with a random lottery, and why parents don't know how to steer kids toward the trades even when they want to. (26:00) – Women in welding and the power of visibility: why only 5% of the skilled trades workforce is women, but 32 of the top 50 welding accounts on Instagram are run by women — and what that means for recruitment. (36:00) – Data centers, AI, and job security: why Microsoft's research shows blue-collar trades have the lowest task-replacement risk from AI, and why data center construction is reshaping pay and poaching in the trades. (46:00) – Mentorship builds the tradesperson: why most attrition happens in the first 90 days, and why "apprenticeship teaches the trade, mentorship builds the tradesperson." Key Takeaways The skilled trades shortage is a demographic math problem first: the population over 65 grows 3% a year, the population under 18 shrinks 0.2% a year, and that gap keeps widening until at least 2041. Many employers create their own shortage by demanding three to five years of experience from trade school graduates, locking out qualified candidates in a catch-22 they can't work their way out of. Retention lives or dies in the first 90 days on the job, and mentorship — not just apprenticeship — is the single biggest factor tradespeople point to when asked what changed their career trajectory. AI poses far less risk to skilled trades work than to white-collar jobs — Microsoft's task-replacement research shows blue-collar roles have the lowest automation exposure of any job category tracked. About the Guest Dr. Jason Altmire is President and CEO of Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU), the national trade association representing private postsecondary career schools. He previously served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (2007–2013) and has led senior roles in the hospital and health insurance industries. Since joining CECU in 2020, he has grown the association's membership, revenue, and media reach, including launching CECU's research foundation. Riley Burr is Executive Director of the CECU Research Foundation and Vice President of Policy and Research at CECU. She previously served as lead author and contributor on federal workforce reports for the National Center for Education Statistics, with research focused on bridging the skills gap and expanding the role of trade schools. Jason and Riley co-authored Trade Up, drawing on that research to map out how career education is transforming the American workforce. Keywords skilled trades workforce shortage, trades pipeline crisis, skilled trades career pathways, trade school vs college, registered apprenticeships, career and technical education, HVAC career, electrician apprenticeship, welding career, plumbing trade, aviation maintenance technician, women in the trades, Gen Z workforce, Toolbelt Generation, mentorship in the trades, workforce retention, AI and blue collar jobs, data center construction jobs, Jason Altmire, Riley Burr, Trade Up book, Career Education Colleges and Universities, CECU Research Foundation, Andrew Brown, The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades RESOURCE LINKS Jason Altmire on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonaltmire/ Riley Burr on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rileyburr/ Trade Up (book): https://tradeupbook.com/ Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU): https://career.org SUPPORT THE SHOW If you found value in this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps us keep telling the stories of the skilled trades.

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  The Lost Art Of the Skilled Trades

  What It Takes to Become a Female Aircraft Mechanic

  Jul 14, 202625 min

  Aviation maintenance technician Brianna De Armond breaks down what it really takes to become an aircraft mechanic — and why one signature on the paperwork can define an entire career. Brianna is a student in the Aviation Maintenance Technician program at San Bernardino Valley College and a competitor at the Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC). In this episode, she shares the moment she realized aircraft maintenance is as much about reading manuals and ATA codes as it is about turning wrenches — and what it feels like to sign off on a plane carrying a couple hundred people, knowing your name is the only one on that paper. She also opens up about growing up around the trades with her welding-and-HVAC dad, the classmate-turned-mentor who talked her into pursuing her pilot's license, and what it's actually like to be one of a small percentage of women in aircraft maintenance — including the harassment many women face and what real support on the shop floor looks like. If you're considering a career in aviation maintenance, mentoring someone who is, or just want to understand what happens behind the scenes every time a plane takes off safely, this conversation will change how you think about the person under the fuselage. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) – Why Mechanics Deserve More Credit: Brianna opens with the line that defines the episode — the pilots get you there, but it's the mechanic who fixes it when they break it. (02:30) – Falling in Love with Aviation as a Kid: How childhood curiosity about airplanes led Brianna to San Bernardino Valley College's aeronautics program. (08:00) – The Reality of Aircraft Maintenance: Reading, Writing, and Wrenches: Why the job is as much about manuals and documentation as it is hands-on repair — and the moment installing avionics made it all worth it. (15:00) – Family, Mentorship, and Learning to Fly: Her dad's welding and HVAC background, the classmate-turned-mentor who changed her trajectory, and how she ended up pursuing her pilot's license. (23:00) – Being a Woman in Aircraft Maintenance: The small percentage of women in the field, the harassment many face, and what real support looks like. (32:00) – The Weight of Signing Off on a Plane: What it takes to become an Inspection Authorization (IA) mechanic, why it takes years of experience, and the pressure of putting your name on the paperwork. Key Takeaways Aircraft maintenance is far more reading- and documentation-heavy than most people expect — technicians live in manuals and ATA codes as much as they work with tools. Becoming an Inspection Authorization (IA) mechanic typically takes years of experience because a single signature carries full legal and safety responsibility for the aircraft. Only a small percentage of aircraft maintenance technicians are women, and closing that gap starts with listening to women and building real support systems on the shop floor. A strong mentor can be the difference between quitting and thriving — Brianna credits a classmate-turned-mentor with keeping her in the trade and inspiring her to pursue a pilot's license. About the Guest Brianna De Armond is an aviation maintenance student at San Bernardino Valley College and a competitor at the Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC), where students and professionals from across the industry test their skills head-to-head. She has hands-on experience in airframe work, avionics installation, and engine overhaul, and is currently working toward her pilot's license. Her focus is aircraft maintenance and inspection — the unseen work that keeps commercial and general aviation flying safely. Her story speaks directly to this episode's theme: the skilled trades carry enormous responsibility, and the people doing that work deserve recognition most audiences never think to give them. Keywords aviation maintenance technician, aircraft mechanic, A&P mechanic career, Inspection Authorization IA mechanic, women in aviation maintenance, Aerospace Maintenance Competition, San Bernardino Valley College aeronautics, Brianna De Armond RESOURCE LINKS San Bernardino Valley College Aeronautics Program: https://www.linkedin.com/school/san-bernardino-valley-college/ SUPPORT THE SHOW If you found value in this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps us keep telling the stories of the skilled trades.

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  The Lost Art Of the Skilled Trades

  The $9.25M Bet to Train the Next Generation of Electricians

  Jul 7, 202634 min

  The electrician shortage is real: 10,000 retire each year, only 7,000 enter. Siemens Foundation CEO David Etzwiler is building a $9.25M solution. Meanwhile, 130,000 new electrical jobs are coming online in the next decade — driven by AI, data centers, and hyperscaler buildouts. The gap between demand and supply is accelerating. Yet most people still think of the trades as a backup plan, not a first choice. David Etzwiler is the CEO of the Siemens Foundation, the corporate philanthropic arm of Siemens USA. He leads Careers Electric, a $9.25 million workforce initiative in North Carolina that is building a multi-lane highway from middle school to employer — with real training, real wages, and real career paths in the electrical trades. In this episode, Andrew and David dig into the data center boom, why the 30-to-90-day retention window is where most employers lose new workers, and why mentorship isn't just good practice — it's the only thing that makes apprenticeship actually work. If you're in the trades, work with tradespeople, or want to steer someone toward a high-paying career without a four-year degree, this one is for you. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) – The AI and Electrician Conversation: Andrew shares why his 12-year-old's question about AI and careers led directly to this episode — and why the answer keeps pointing back to the trades. (04:00) – The Electrician Shortage Nobody Talks About: 10,000 electricians retire every year. Only 7,000 enter. With 130,000 new electrical jobs coming in the next decade, David explains why the window to act is now. (10:00) – Careers Electric and the Multi-Lane Highway: The $9.25M Siemens Foundation initiative in North Carolina is building pathways from middle school to community college to employer — with multiple on-ramps and off-ramps at every level. (17:00) – Why You Lose People in the First 90 Days: Andrew and David break down the retention problem in the trades and what employers and training programs must do differently to keep Gen Z workers engaged past the first month. (23:00) – Mentorship Is the Gold Standard: Pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship are only as good as the mentor. David explains why pairing someone with the right journeyman — not just a skilled one — is the difference between a career and a dropout. (29:00) – Wages, Pathways, and Scaling Nationally: Median electrical wages sit at $62,300 with room to grow. David shares how the Careers Electric model will expand beyond North Carolina and how employers and individuals can get involved today. Key Takeaways The U.S. electrical trades are already short-staffed — 10,000 electricians retire each year while only 7,000 enter the field, and 130,000 new electrical jobs are expected in the next decade driven by AI data centers and grid buildouts. The Siemens Foundation's Careers Electric initiative is investing $9.25 million in North Carolina to build a standardized, sector-based training pipeline from middle school through community college to employer, with a goal of 25,000 trained workers over 10 years. Retention in the trades is most fragile in the first 30 to 90 days — employers who help new workers understand expectations before day one, pair them with patient mentors, and pay competitive wages dramatically improve long-term retention. Apprenticeship teaches the trade, but mentorship builds the tradesperson — the most consistent factor in whether someone stays and thrives in a skilled trade is a mentor who is genuinely invested in their success, not just their productivity. About the Guest David Etzwiler is the CEO of the Siemens Foundation, the corporate philanthropic arm of Siemens USA. He has led the Foundation's workforce, health, and sustainability initiatives since 2013. Prior to Siemens, David served as Vice President of Community Affairs and Executive Director of the Medtronic Foundation, where he grew annual giving from $6.5 million to $31.6 million. He holds a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and a Master of Public Policy from The Claremont Graduate University. David leads Careers Electric, a $9.25 million sector-based workforce initiative in North Carolina building a multi-lane training pathway from middle school to employer in the electrical trades — with plans to scale the model nationally, state by state. Keywords electrician shortage, electrical trades careers, skilled trades, workforce training, apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, data centers, AI jobs, Careers Electric, Siemens Foundation, David Etzwiler, IBEW, EVITP, community college trades, mentorship in skilled trades, Gen Z careers, trade school alternatives, North Carolina workforce RESOURCE LINKS David Etzwiler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-etzwiler-26916033/ Siemens Foundation Website: https://www.siemensfoundation.org SUPPORT THE SHOW If you found value in this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps us keep telling the stories of the skilled trades.

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