In this episode of Commercial Grade, host R.C. Victorino sits down with Toronto-based steamfitting apprentices Brooke Laing and Eric Hyatt to talk about labor shortages, apprenticeship life, and what’s really happening on job sites today.

With estimates that 55,000 plumbing apprentices are needed over the next three years to replace retiring workers, Brooke and Eric explain why the labor shortage conversation is often glossed over—and how some union halls may be limiting intake based on short-term work instead of long-term workforce planning.

They share their individual paths into the trades—Brooke’s transition from nursing to welding to union steamfitting, and Eric’s early decision in high school to pursue plumbing before switching unions. They discuss job security, rising wages, benefits, and why strong health coverage matters—especially for Brooke as a type 1 diabetic working in physically demanding environments.

The conversation also tackles mentorship gaps, apprenticeship realities, and the generational divide around women in the trades. Brooke speaks candidly about both supportive colleagues and experiences with harassment, while highlighting the continued culture shift happening across the industry.

They also discuss Sisterhood of the Trades, a growing global community supporting women entering skilled labor, and their own podcast, Two Bolts Short of a Flange, which shares raw, unfiltered apprentice experiences from the field.

This episode is a grounded look at what it takes to enter, survive, and improve the modern trades workforce.

Episode Timestamps:

(00:00) Trades Are Booming: The Apprentice Shortage & Rising Wages
(00:22) Welcome + Meet Brooke Laing & Eric Hyatt
(01:17) Brooke’s Path: Nursing to Welding to Steamfitting
(02:04) Eric’s Path: Plumbing to Union Steamfitting
(04:48) Benefits & Job Security in the Trades
(06:43) The Labor Gap Nobody Talks About
(09:42) Union Intake Bottlenecks vs Retirement Planning
(11:04) What Apprenticeship Is Really Like
(13:08) Mentor Training & Apprentice Ratios
(16:15) Women in the Trades: Bias & Generational Shifts
(19:35) Cultural Change on Job Sites
(21:35) Sisterhood of the Trades: A Global Support Network
(24:13) Addressing Hazing, Bias & Trade-Wide Issues
(25:35) Launching Two Bolts Short of a Flange
(28:39) Social Media, Visibility & Mentorship
(32:27) Type 1 Diabetes on the Job Site
(36:03) Lightning Round: Tools, Favorite Builds & Trade Myths

About the Guests:

Brooke Laing and Eric Hyatt are Toronto-based union steamfitting apprentices and co-hosts of the podcast Two Bolts Short of a Flange. Brooke transitioned from nursing to welding before entering union steamfitting, bringing firsthand insight into navigating the trades as a woman and managing type 1 diabetes on job sites. Eric chose the trades in high school, beginning in plumbing before switching to union steamfitting. Together, they advocate for apprenticeship reform, better workforce planning, and transparency around labor shortages in the skilled trades.

Links & Resources:

RC’s LinkedIn
Brooke Laing on LinkedIn
Eric Hyatt on LinkedIn
Two Bolts Short of a Flange Podcast
Learn more at BuildOps.com

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The Trades Need the Next Generation: Brooke Laing & Eric Hyatt on Stepping In