MORGAN MCILNAY
Tradesmen Up Close
What does one do if air conditioning goes out at home or if the electricity isn’t working? What happens when someone has a plumbing problem or wants to get a new roof due to excessive hail damage? All of these difficult situations are solved by tradesmen. Tradesmen are skilled workers in specialized occupations like plumbers, welders, roofers, construction workers, carpenters, electricians, and painters. Tradesmen often need work experience, on-the-job training, vocational education, and a license, but a degree is not required. Since a degree isn’t necessary for tradesmen, and it is a “blue-collar job,” society often undervalues their profession. Considering that tradesmen are underestimated, I wanted to find out more about them and if they should be more appreciated in the community. Through interviewing five tradesmen and observing different tradesmen at a job site, I found that tradesmen carry patterns of motivations and personality traits that enable them to succeed in their field of work and help the community function properly. Therefore, tradesmen should earn more recognition and not be looked down upon in society. By going to a job site located in Omaha, Nebraska, I was able to find that tradesmen succeed in their field of work and help the community function properly through their common patterns of motivations and personality traits. The job site I went to was at an apartment complex where buildings were being built and necessities were being added. I saw all different types of tradesmen working on the buildings, such as heating and cooling technicians, framers, roofers, and electricians. I observed the tradesmen wearing jeans, work boots, a t-shirt or a sweatshirt, hard hats, gloves, and protective eyewear. I also saw the majority of tradesmen carrying tool bags around and others holding papers, but the biggest 149
