Did you know that there will be an extreme shortage of tradespeople in the next three to five years? Mike Rowe has quite a few short video clips on YouTube regarding the Shortage of Skilled Tradesmen and Skills Gap you might find interesting.

Recently, Sue Jacobs of S. Jacobs Plumbing started a second business aimed to address the labor shortage. “It started out just to teach the Girl Scouts about Basic Plumbing and Basic Woodworking,” she says. “Then last year I was asked to speak at Norwood High School on Career Day.” Only eight juniors signed up to learn about the options in the trades. Out of the eight, only one was interested in plumbing. “And that got me thinking further about the major shortage of tradespeople,” Jacobs says.

Jacobs decided to introduce Ms. Fix It LLC. “I offer, at the moment, Plumbing 101 Workshops, in an attempt to help homeowners learn how their homes function. Her mission is simple:

• To encourage knowledge of a trade and the ability and repair issues that may come up with confidence and ease.
• To work together to unveil trade progression and opportunities to young women and men.
• To provide education presenting the background of the trade and hands-on experience repairing various fixtures and parts to fully understand the process.
• To provide a new understanding of how a home works.
• To teach pride in the trade and encourage future students to consider an alternative, but fruitful career path.

To learn more about Ms. Fix It LLC, click here.