Skilled Nation takes you inside the world of high-demand trades—welding, electrical, HVAC, industrial maintenance, and more. Through real stories from graduates and pros, you’ll see how hands-on training can launch you into a high-paying, future-proof career—without the four-year degree and crushing debt. Way of Life, Badge of Honor—this is the real story of building a career, a craft, and a future you’re proud of.
Sam Mayer: You Don’t Have to Drive to Work in NASCAR
Guest: Sam Mayer
Haas Factory Team, Car 41, O'Reilly Cup Series
Want to work in NASCAR? Driving is only one way in.
NASCAR driver Sam Mayer reveals how welding, fabrication, electrical skills, and cooling systems help race teams compete, and why the people behind the car deserve more attention.
In this episode of Skilled Nation, Sam joins host Jimmy Rhoades to connect the excitement of professional racing with the skilled trades that make it possible.
From precision welds to driver safety, every specialist has a role in getting the car to the starting line and keeping it competitive.
Sam shares his journey from racing go-karts at four to winning in the NASCAR Truck Series at 17. He also recounts a brutal Nashville race when his cooling suit failed, explains the trust behind a 14-second pit stop, and discusses why careers building and maintaining race cars offer opportunities beyond the driver’s seat.
In this conversation:
• Welding and fabrication jobs in NASCAR
• Electrical wiring, batteries, and race-car systems
• Driver cooling, heat, and race performance
• Crew chiefs, car chiefs, and pit crew teamwork
• Women working on NASCAR teams
• Transferring skilled trades experience into motorsports
Whether you’re a NASCAR fan, a trades student, or exploring a different career direction, discover how hands-on skills can connect you to professional racing.
Subscribe to Skilled Nation for more conversations about skilled trades, career opportunities, and the people who keep our world running.
Sponsored by Tulsa Welding School.
Skilled Nation: A Way of Life. A Badge of Honor.
#NASCAR #SamMayer #SkilledTrades #SkilledNation #NASCARCareers #Welding #Fabrication #HVAC #MotorsportsCareers
3 Oct 2026
John Deere Right to Repair: Can Skilled Technicians Finally Compete?
Do farmers truly own their John Deere equipment if independent technicians cannot access the software required to repair it?
Willie Cade, director of the Theo Brown Society and a board member of Repair.org, joins Skilled Nation to explain the fight over John Deere right to repair.
He breaks down the proposed $99 million settlement, the FTC’s role, state right-to-repair legislation, equipment ownership, diagnostic software, repair data, and the tools skilled technicians need to compete with authorized dealerships.
Willie also discusses how modern tractors have evolved into rolling computers, why experienced diesel mechanics can still be locked out of repairs, and how greater access could create new career and business opportunities for heavy-equipment technicians.
From mobile farm repair businesses to equipment that can cost more than $1 million, this conversation explores what right to repair means for farmers, independent repair shops, and the future of the skilled trades.
Skilled Nation celebrates the people whose knowledge and hands-on ability keep America running. It’s a way of life and a badge of honor.
#RightToRepair #JohnDeere #SkilledTrades #DieselMechanic #HeavyEquipment #FarmEquipment #IndependentRepair #AgriculturalTechnology #RepairTechnician #SkilledNation
19 Sept 2026
One Small Jobsite Mistake Can Cost Thousands | The Rework Tax
A small mistake on a construction site can become a major expense once the walls close and the next trade moves in.
So how can apprentices, journeymen and experienced crews catch problems before they trigger costly rework?
Quality assurance inspector and electrical industry professional Will Lane joins Skilled Nation to break down the hidden “rework tax” created by missed details, misunderstood electrical codes, schedule pressure and poor communication.
He shares a mistake from his first job as an apprentice, explains why speaking up can protect an entire project and reveals what newer tradespeople can do to earn trust on the job.
The conversation also explores Code Buddy, a field tool designed to help construction professionals navigate electrical codes, project specifications and potential quality issues while the work is still accessible.
If you are entering the skilled trades, leading a construction crew or working in electrical quality assurance and quality control, this episode shows why asking the right question at the right time can save thousands of dollars.
Skilled Nation: A Way of Life. A Badge of Honor.
#SkilledTrades #ConstructionCareers #ElectricalApprentice #ConstructionQuality #SkilledNation
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