Adult career-changer · public steps only · no invented openings

A calm, week-by-week plan for adults switching into the trades. Every step uses public tools — apprenticeship.gov, school catalogs, College Scorecard, and this independent map. We do not invent job openings, wages, or “seats left.”

Week 1 — Orient (pick a lane) → tear-off

1. □ Read trade school vs apprenticeship (cost/time/pay without hype): registeredtradeschools.com/guides/trade-school-vs-apprenticeship/
2. □ Run the soft path chooser: registeredtradeschools.com/apprenticeships/#path-chooser — earn-while-you-learn vs classroom/lab first.
3. □ Name 1–2 trades to explore (example hubs): electrician · HVAC · plumbing · welding. Open /trades/ and read each hub’s week-one strip.
4. □ Write your constraint: □ Need wages soon □ Can study first □ Geography: __________

Week 2 — Research (public data only) → tear-off

1. □ Open your state apprenticeship list on this site, then search sponsor organization names on apprenticeship.gov (add city/state if the name is common). A directory row ≠ a job posting.
2. □ Open your state schools list (Scorecard certificate/associate). Confirm program names on the school catalog — not only our tags.
3. □ Save 3 sponsors and/or 3 schools with links + phone from public pages. Notes: ______________________________
4. □ Optional parent/counselor helper: send-home sheet + double-check habit (apprenticeship.gov + school/Scorecard).

Week 3 — Visit & talk (still verifying) → tear-off

1. □ Visit or call one school information session or one sponsor/union/employer contact listed publicly. Ask which occupations they actually train.
2. □ Ask for written program length, related-instruction expectations, and (school) an itemized quote if classroom/lab. Do not treat our pages as a quote.
3. □ Re-check apprenticeship.gov / Scorecard the same day — listings change. Date re-checked: __________
4. □ Talk to one working tradesperson or career counselor (neutral). Notes: ______________________________

Week 4 — Decide next public step → tear-off

1. □ Choose a primary path for the next 90 days: □ Apply to a registered apprenticeship process □ Enroll / apply to a school program □ Keep researching (name why): __________
2. □ Complete the official application or info request on the sponsor or school site — not a lead form on this directory.
3. □ Schedule one follow-up calendar reminder to re-verify registration / catalog facts before you pay or sign.
4. □ If helping someone else: use the counselor kit three-step share (pick path → one print sheet → send home with a double-check).

Independent · not DOL · not a job board. Free to copy for non-commercial counseling. Methodology: registeredtradeschools.com/methodology/