This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Carl Murawski, a 44-year-old trades professional and content creator who lives in Connecticut. It has been edited for length and clarity.
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I’m a licensed electrician, construction coordinator, and YouTuber who teaches my audience why skilled trades are the future.
I have an associate degree in general studies, a Connecticut E2 electrical license, a Class A CDL, and OSHA 30 and HAZWOPER 40 certifications.
I was a mechanic and tow truck driver for the first five years of my career before I switched to the electrical industry. For the next decade, I worked for a small local electrical contractor, learning residential and light commercial wiring. I then moved to a larger contractor as an assistant project manager, and in 2016, I joined my current employer as a project engineer.
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I wear any hat required: project coordination, quality assurance, quality control (QA/QC), and labor tracking. I earn six figures and have no regrets about entering the trades.
The trades were my path from uncertainty to stability
I was raised in a single-parent household, started out turning wrenches as a mechanic, and then became an electrician. Twenty years later, I’ve built a life where I can provide comfortably for my family — all without a bachelor’s degree or crushing student debt.
I’m proof that there’s more than one way to build success in America. Combining my work as a licensed electrician and my YouTube channel, which I started in 2016 and reaches over 200,000 people, I’ve created both financial stability and purpose doing work that actually matters.
Here’s how I balance my work days
Typically, I’ll edit videos for an hour or two before I leave the house for work. I like to be on the jobsite by 6:30 a.m. I spend weekends filming content. My income from my day job is enough to support my family, so everything I earn through YouTube is reinvested in the business.
Each video is different, but I generally pick a topic from a running list of ideas in my notes app. I have a standing rule that I will not accept free product or monetary compensation for a review, as I feel it skews the objectivity. I’ll generally purchase any products several weeks in advance to begin testing.
To help fund the videos, I work with an agency to secure sponsorships for adjacent (non-competing) brands. Filming takes place when my wife takes our children grocery shopping on the weekends.
Most days as a practicing electrician begin in the job trailer
I go over plans with the superintendent and address any issues. After the crew leaves our yard, each day is different, which is why I enjoy it.
Some days are spent visiting job sites, and others are spent working through submittal and scheduling issues. Since I’ve worked in so many roles over the past 20 years, I’m uniquely equipped to handle a wide variety of tasks, which keeps things interesting.
Our crews return between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., after which I lock up our gate and head home.
With all the concerns about AI affecting office jobs, the trades might be the last safe haven
Our type of work can’t be outsourced or automated. This work requires skill and dedication. We work as a team to build amazing things and celebrate our wins together.
Getting into a trade mid-career isn’t easy, but I’m seeing a lot more people coming into our industry from white-collar jobs. Sometimes they’re seeking fulfillment, other times it’s out of necessity because their position was eliminated. I welcome them all because we need them.
I’ve recently seen a lot of middle-aged white-collar professionals transition out of their jobs due to their positions being outsourced or AI taking over their roles, specifically in the insurance industry.
My career is very satisfying
Working in a blue-collar job while running a content creation business isn’t easy, but I’ve been doing it for a decade. There’s so much I’ve learned the hard way in my job that I hope will help the new generation of blue-collar workers, and that’s what keeps me going.
Every career has its upsides and downsides, and it’s up to you to weigh them. The trades can be a great fit for someone looking for activity throughout their workday rather than staring at screens.
For those looking to see the results of their hard work in a completed project, the job satisfaction is hard to top.
