Trade Corps was born out of respect for the trades. While working in the Alberta oil patch, I saw skills that blew my mind. People took raw materials and turned them into massive machinery, vessels, and equipment—often in extreme weather, far from home and family. The precision, passion, and grit of the trades hit me harder than ever, even after more than a decade in my own trade. I didn’t go to u
niversity, and sometimes I looked down on myself for that. My wife, a registered nurse with a degree, once told me how a doctor seemed disappointed when our son said he wanted to go into the trades. The truth? My trade has provided everything for our family. It gave my wife the freedom to leave her career and raise our three kids. It allowed us to foster more than 50 children and give them a home filled with love and stability. All of that—because of skills I built with my hands. So why are trades still looked down on? That’s where the idea for Trade Corps came from. Back in 2014, I wanted something “cool” to wear—not Nike or Under Armour that had nothing to do with my life, but something that actually represented what I do. With pride, I’m a plumber. With pride, I’m a tradesman. Trade Corps isn’t a movement or some grand idea. It’s a way to pay homage to the men and women who put their skills to work every day. It’s for those who work in the heat, the cold, the rain, and the mud. For those who get calloused hands, long hours, and tired backs. Because at the end of the day—Skills Pay Bills.
