The Human Trades Editorial Standards
The skilled trades industry has suffered for decades from misleading marketing, unaccredited diploma mills, and deceptive "become a tradesman in 2 weeks" sales funnels. We exist to provide source-aware guidance with clear assumptions and caveats.
1. Primary Sources Only
For material licensing, wage, and training claims, we record an official source and check date where available. If a record is incomplete or due for review, the page says so.
2. "What It Counts Toward" Transparency
We relentlessly highlight the distinction between educational certificates and legal licenses. No training program is ever described as a "license" unless it confers statutory legal authority to practice.
3. Unvarnished Reality
We disclose the physical realities of each trade: unconditioned spaces, ladders and lifts, wastewater or soil exposure where relevant, on-call schedules that vary by employer, and the wear-and-tear that can accompany repetitive work.
4. Editorial independence
We do not sell placement in the editorial score or state-pathway copy. Any commercial relationship is disclosed separately, and unresolved evidence is not presented as verified.
5. Clear Labeling of Estimates
Whenever projections are made, they are explicitly labeled as scenario models with visible assumptions, not guaranteed promises.