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Get Empowered.
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The School of Skilled Trades:
a better kind of vocational school
We started the School of Skilled Trades because, after decades as plumbers, we saw the same problem—and the same opportunity—again and again.
Many people start out as paid apprentices, hoping to learn their chosen trade and move up. But on-the-job training might not teach you what you need to know to grow in your career. After all, your supervisor’s first priority will be getting the job done, and they may not have time to teach you key skills. Plus, when you learn on the job, you need to do complex tasks right the first time, even if you’ve never had a chance to practice. If you’re focused on getting the basics right, it can feel like a struggle to get promoted and earn more.
Investing in training changes all that.
All School of Skilled Trades programs help you:
Learn the key skills you’ll need every dayPractice in a setting where it’s okay to make mistakesStand out in your job searchFeel confident you’re prepared to succeedPut you on the path to a long-term career—not just a jobThe trade school that empowers you from day one
Land a better job and start building a stable,
long-term career
At the School of Skilled Trades, you’ll get:
High-quality, accelerated vocational trainingJob-placement supportCareer-advancement coachingA head start on an AI-proof and recession-resistant career
Learn skills that will be in
demand for decades to come
The skilled trades are in high demand now, and that’s not going to change. Trade school can help you build a career that’s stable. Skilled tradespeople help keep homes, businesses, and essential systems running. Training in plumbing or HVAC can prepare you for opportunities in fields with ongoing demand.
Every year for the next ten years, there will be more than 43,000 job openings for plumbers and 40,000 for HVAC techs in the U.S. There are nearly 1,800 openings in North Carolina alone for plumbers and 1,500 for HVAC techs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.There aren’t enough skilled plumbers and HVAC techs to fill all these openings. “We are going to have this for a long time. This is not a market cycle issue. This is a generational issue,” one construction-industry CEO told Bloomberg.
Get one-on-one support
to land a job
Our programs go beyond teaching you the technical skills you’ll use on the job.
We’ll help you with your job search with local companies, along with resume prep and interview coaching to help you get a good job. And you’ll learn how to succeed every day with your supervisor and customers—so you can keep advancing in your career.
We’ll help you with your job search with local companies, along with resume prep and interview coaching to help you get a good job. And you’ll learn how to succeed every day with your supervisor and customers—so you can keep advancing in your career.
Start earning more in months, not years
Some trade schools take years, making it hard to stick with the program and get results.
We offer three-month programs designed specifically to help you get a better-paying job in a stable field.
We offer three-month programs designed specifically to help you get a better-paying job in a stable field.
When we say we’re dedicated to helping you, we mean it.
Your instructors all have decades of experience.
You’ll learn from people who have done the job in the real world. They’ll teach you the skills that will make you successful on your first day and every day after that.
The tools you need are
included.
You’ll get to use high-quality tools to use and practice with during your training. Once you graduate, you will earn some tools and a tool bag to keep.
We’re a non-profit school.
We invest tuition and donations in high-quality instructors, facilities, and equipment. You get top-notch training at a great value.
We’re licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges.
Our curriculum, course offerings, facilities, and instructors all meet strict standards set by the state’s education experts.
“Masters of the Trades know that apprenticeship is education in action, it’s theory and experience working in tandem. PHCC of NC is excited to see more institutions like the School of Skilled Trades, dedicated to fostering a culture that values hands-on learning and real-world skill development. Through education and apprenticeship, together we will shape tomorrow’s leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers.”
Stephanie Blazek
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors of North Carolina (PHCC of NC) Executive Director
Trade jobs are making headlines
America Needs Skilled Trades. Durham Is Answering.
September 30, 2025
Ford’s CEO says the skilled-labor shortage is a “huge crisis.” The School of Skilled Trades turns that gap into your opportunity with their trade school located in Durham, NC.
Get a head start on a skilled trades career that you’ll enjoy
When you work in a skilled trade, you’ll get the satisfaction of seeing the results of your work first-hand. You’ll help build homes, offices, and your own future.
Our programs are perfect for working adults,
veterans, and high school graduates
94% of workers in the skilled trades would recommend their occupation to a family member, according to a Thumbtack survey.The skilled trades open the door to entrepreneurial opportunities. With advanced training and experience, you could start and run your own business. Earn your Plumbing or HVAC Technician Certificate
Our flagship program helps you get started in the high-demand field of plumbing or HVAC. With this certificate, you can earn $20-$22 or more to start in the Triangle area.
Graduate from our HVAC or Plumbing Technician Certificate program, and you will start your first plumbing or HVAC job with 250 hours of hands-on training under your belt. From your first day onward, you’ll show up as knowledgeable, prepared, and efficient. These are qualities employers reward.
Plus, you’ll lay the foundation for your future. Your training hours count towards state licensing requirements for HVAC technicians or plumbers. You don’t need to get a license to be a plumber or HVAC tech in North Carolina. But having a license gives you access to even better pay and the chance to start your own business. That’s why we teach you the essential principles and skills covered on the licensing exam. Your time at the school also counts towards the training hours you need to get licensed.
Get your Backflow Certification or Recertification
We also offer state-recognized courses for Backflow Certification and Recertification. These short courses are all you need to meet North Carolina requirements, either to get your certification or renew it.
We know you can succeed, and we’re here to help
Our mission is to help you get equipped, get empowered, and get employed. Everyone at the School of Skilled Trades is dedicated to helping you get on the path to a successful, stable career. Plus, we’re a non-profit school, so your tuition dollars go towards your education.
We offer three ways to make trade school
more affordable
Scholarships made possible by our generous donors.Installment payment plans that allow you
to pay over time.Learn-while-you-earn apprenticeship opportunities.A better job is just a few months away
A stable, higher-paying job can change the direction of your entire life and your family’s future.
You can train for a secure, high-paying job that’s the beginning of a stable career. But it’s up to you to take the first step.
The good news? That step takes just one minute. Fill out the form, and we’ll be in touch to help you get equipped, get empowered, and get employed.
With dedicated training, in just three months, you could be:
Getting job offers.
Working in the same
job you’re in now.
Earning $20-$22/hour or more.
Earning less than you’re worth.
Feeling confident about
a secure future.
Still searching for your
path to success.