About Trades Directory

Trades Directory is independently maintained by its owner and editor, Paul Trotter, to help people discover and compare skilled-trades education, apprenticeship, licensing, salary, and career resources. The current directory focuses on the electrical trade and aims to make fragmented public information easier to evaluate.

Editor

Paul Trotter edits Trades Directory, sets its research and sourcing rules, and decides each release to the live site. Reach the editor through the contact page, or see Paul Trotter on LinkedIn.

Our methodology sets out which sources we use and what listing dates and labels mean. The corrections policy explains how to report an error and what happens next.

How Listings Are Selected and Checked

We select resources that appear relevant to learning, entering, or progressing in the electrical trade. Listing information is checked against official government, school, apprenticeship sponsor, publisher, or other provider sources. Automated checks help identify missing or stale fields, but publication decisions and material updates receive manual review.

Inclusion is informational, not an endorsement. Users should confirm admissions, registration, licensing, cost, availability, and service-area details directly with the responsible organization before making a decision.

Sources and Editorial Review

Core sources include:

• NCES / IPEDS for school information
• Apprenticeship.gov and apprenticeship provider sources
• BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and occupational employment data
• Official state licensing boards and agencies for licensing requirements
• First-party provider pages for program and resource details

AI tools may assist with research organization, drafting, classification, and quality checks. AI-assisted material is not published without human review, and official or provider sources take priority when facts conflict.

Freshness and Verification Dates

We revisit records as sources change and as users report issues. A last_verified date indicates when key information was last checked; it is not a guarantee that every provider change since that date has been captured. Records without a recent verification date should be independently confirmed with the provider.

Corrections

Organizations and users can request a correction, report a closed or changed program, or provide a more authoritative source. Please identify the listing and include a source URL when possible. We review correction requests before updating published information; the corrections policy has the details.

Independence

Trades Directory is not a licensing board, school accreditor, or government agency. It does not issue licenses, determine accreditation, approve apprenticeship status, or replace guidance from the relevant authority.