Every summer, millions of skilled trades professionals work in dangerous heat across Arizona, Texas, Florida, and the southern United States.

But what keeps construction workers, welders, electricians, HVAC technicians, and laborers safe when temperatures climb above 110°F?

In this episode of Skilled Nation, Jimmy Rhoades sits down with Mike Marden, owner of WDS Integrated Design Build, to discuss the realities of working in extreme heat after more than three decades in the construction industry.

They explore:

• How extreme heat impacts construction workers and job sites

• Heat exhaustion, hydration, and recognizing warning signs

• Why safety culture in the trades has changed

• The role of PPE, cooling apparel, and modern heat protection

• How leadership creates safer job sites

• Why prefabrication and new technology are reducing heat exposure

• What every new tradesperson should know before working outdoors

Whether you're considering a career in construction, welding, electrical, HVAC, or another skilled trade, this episode offers practical advice that could help you stay safe and build a long, successful career.

Skilled Nation is sponsored by Tulsa Welding School and celebrates the people, careers, and opportunities shaping America's skilled workforce.

Subscribe for more conversations with industry leaders, skilled trades professionals, and workforce experts.

To learn more about WDS Integrated Design Build head to https://wds.build/architect-contractor or @wdsdesignbuild

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What do a hotel clerk who fixed an ice machine on a whim, a man who walked out of prison and into a trade school, and a Marine who built a $100M HVAC company all have in common?

They found their way into one of the most in-demand, overlooked, and flat-out lucrative careers in America.

In this special episode of Skilled Nation, we're bringing together the expertise of three HVAC professionals who've lived every side of the industry — the grind, the growth, and the life-changing money.

Chris Watt — Senior HVAC Instructor at RSI — breaks down why this career is AI-proof, recession-proof, and more financially rewarding than most four-year degrees.

Michael Gabhart — co-founder of Blue Line HVAC — shares the brutal schedule, the $9,500 trade school debt, and the moment a rooftop paycheck notification made him grab his chest.

Jesse Keenan — founder of Semper Fi Home Services — talks culture, veterans in the trades, and why he has technicians making half a million dollars a year.

This isn't a recruitment pitch. It's the real story of what this career looks like — the good, the grind, and the ceiling that barely exists.

🎙️ Subscribe to Skilled Nation wherever you get your podcasts.

America doesn't have a shortage of skilled trades careers. It has a shortage of awareness, mentorship, and experienced workers to train the next generation.

In this episode of Skilled Nation, host Jimmy Rhoades sits down with Concetta Defa, electrician, workforce advocate, and host of Hire PowHER, to uncover the real reasons behind the skilled trades workforce shortage.

While many conversations focus on labor shortages, Concetta explains why the biggest challenge is the apprenticeship pipeline. As experienced journeyworkers retire, fewer mentors remain to train future electricians, lineworkers, heavy equipment operators, welders, HVAC technicians, plumbers, and other skilled professionals.

They also discuss:

• Why employers are ready to hire more skilled workers

• The apprenticeship bottleneck slowing workforce growth

• Why hands-on learning cannot be replaced by classrooms alone

• How Concetta became an electrician after a life-changing accident

• The role mentorship plays in building long-term careers

• Why more women are entering construction and energy careers

• Common misconceptions about skilled trades

• Why construction workers are some of the most highly skilled professionals in America

• How Hire PowHER is helping build the next generation of skilled workers

Whether you're a student, career changer, educator, employer, contractor, union member, or simply curious about the future of America's workforce, this conversation offers an inside look at the opportunities shaping the skilled trades.

Guest: Conchita Defa Electrician | Workforce Development Advocate | Host of Hire PowHER

HirePowHER.org

@HirePowHer

@GetintoEnergy