Live job listings from union halls, defense primes, and skilled-trade employers in your state.
Registered apprenticeships pay you from day one — average 4-year programs end in journey-level wages.
mikeroweWORKS Foundation and partner programs offer scholarships designed specifically for skilled-trade training.
Each of these trades is in heavy demand right now. Each one is essential to America’s defense industrial base. Pick the one that fits the way you want to spend your days.
Search live openings from employers and union halls in your area.
In-state programs vetted for skilled-trade and apprenticeship pathways.
Waco, TX
Hands-on welding certificate program with industry-standard equipment and instructors.
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Pasadena, TX
Associate degree in industrial maintenance with strong refinery and chemical-plant placement.
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Houston, TX
Electrical technology program preparing students for journeyman pathways.
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Huston, TX
Registered apprenticeship for plumbers, pipefitters and HVAC trades.
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Houston, TX
Two-semester HVAC certificate covering residential and light-commercial systems.
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Dallas, TX
Earn-while-you-learn electrical apprenticeship sponsored by IBEW Local 20.
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Active across all major trades, 2024
Through 2034 (Texas Workforce Commission)
Across in-demand trade roles statewide
Active TX programs (DOL data)
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics state-level OES; Texas Workforce Commission projections; U.S. Department of Labor apprenticeship database.
Texas's highest-demand skilled-trade roles include electricians, pipefitters, welders, and industrial maintenance technicians — driven by Gulf Coast petrochemical work, defense manufacturing in the DFW metroplex, and large-scale data-center and semiconductor construction across the state.
A standard Texas electrician apprenticeship runs four years of paid on-the-job training paired with classroom hours. Apprentices earn a percentage of journey wage that scales each year, and the program counts toward the state journey-level exam.
Texas State Technical College in Waco, San Jacinto College in Pasadena, and Houston Community College all offer accredited welding certificate and degree tracks. See the Trade schools section above for the full list and outbound links.
Yes. The mikeroweWORKS Foundation, Texas Workforce Commission, and IBAS all run scholarship programs available to Texas residents enrolled in skilled-trade training. See the Scholarships section for current programs and deadlines.
Our mission is simple: build the workforce that builds and defends America. Our national and economic security depends on it. We will help power our nation’s defense industrial base and revive the skilled trades. We will be connecting the next generation of builders – the welders, machinists, mechanics, electricians, technicians and more – to high-wage, big-impact jobs. You can help us build freedom for generations to come.
Contact usIn partnership with mikeroweWORKS Foundation, National Labor Exchange and the Department of War.
