Julian Scadden: Midlife Is the Smartest Time to Join the Trades

How to Become a Plumber in your 40s

In a recent interview on The Diary of a CEO, Geoffrey Hinton (widely known as the “Godfather of AI”) made a striking recommendation:

“Become a plumber.” He said it not once, but three times during the conversation. Coming from the man who helped create the technology that’s disrupting entire industries, this advice carries weight.

But how realistic is this guidance for someone in their 40s, 50s, or beyond?

This newsletter will explore what that actually takes.

The traditional career path is broken.

Most people think career pivots are for twenty-somethings.

That switching industries at 45, 50, or 55 is financial suicide.

That you’re “too old” to learn new skills or start over.

Don’t believe the hype.

In fact, midlife might be the perfect time to pivot into the skilled trades. And I’m not talking about taking a pay cut to “follow your passion.” I’m talking about a strategic career move that could dramatically improve your financial outlook while giving you the job security and satisfaction that’s been missing from your corporate cubicle.

You’ve probably spent decades climbing the corporate ladder, only to watch your position get eliminated in the latest “restructuring.” Or you’ve seen your 401 (k) evaporate twice in market crashes. Or you’ve endured endless meetings about meetings, produced reports that nobody reads, and watched younger, cheaper employees get hired to replace your institutional knowledge.

Meanwhile, I know a guy who just became a plumber at 48 and is pulling in six figures, owns his own business, and sleeps soundly knowing that people will always need running water.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 150,000 skilled trades job openings each year over the next decade. That’s not a typo. While white-collar workers are getting replaced by AI and offshore talent, skilled tradespeople are becoming more valuable than ever.

Baby Boomers are retiring in droves, taking decades of hands-on knowledge with them. At the same time, an entire generation was told that college was the only path to success, leaving a massive gap in the skilled workforce.

This creates an unprecedented opportunity for career changers who bring something most 22-year-olds don’t: life experience, work ethic, and business maturity.

Click here to enjoy Julian’s full Substack article.