Travis Nevins of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades explains what a glazier actually does, and why this skilled trade career is everywhere you look and almost nobody can name it.
Every skyscraper facade, every mall handrail, every office glass partition, that's glazing. Travis has spent 25 years in the trade, and he opens by pointing out something most people never notice: glazing surrounds us constantly, yet it's one of the least recognized paths into the skilled trades.
Travis Nevins is the Deputy Director of Organizing at IUPAT. He spent five years as a glazier apprentice in New York, became a journey-level glazier, taught safety and upgrading courses for years, and now works to bring more people into the trade nationally.
This episode is for anyone weighing a skilled trade career, a parent looking for real alternatives to the college-only path, or anyone curious what happens after you say yes to an apprenticeship. Travis walks through the actual apprenticeship timeline, what separates people who thrive from people who burn out, and the one trait he says matters more than technical skill.
IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) – What Is a Glazier? The Trade Hiding in Plain Sight: Travis explains glazing, from residential windows to skyscraper curtain walls, and why so few people know the trade exists.
(05:00) – Getting In: No Experience Needed, Just the Right Attitude: You don't need to know how to read a tape measure to start an apprenticeship, Travis explains what actually matters on day one.
(10:00) – Mentorship: Why the Best Mechanic Isn't Always the Best Mentor: Travis breaks down what makes a good mentor, and it's rarely the most technically skilled person on the crew.
(13:00) – Apprentice to Journey Worker: Pay, Progression, and the 8,000-Hour Mark: A typical apprenticeship runs three to four years with steady 5% raises every six months, and Travis ties it back to the 10,000-hour rule.
(18:00) – What Makes People Stay (and What Burns Them Out): Inconsistent work and long commutes push people out, Travis explains how to set realistic expectations before someone signs up.
(25:00) – The Ladder Story, How Glazing's Changed, and How to Get Started: Travis, who's afraid of heights, shares the story of forcing himself back up a 65-foot ladder, plus how safety culture and technology have transformed the trade.
Key Takeaways
Glazing is one of the most visible trades in the world and one of the least understood, most people who work with glass, aluminum, and facade systems never set out to become a glazier, they simply never heard of it as an option.
Attitude predicts success in a glazing apprenticeship more reliably than prior experience or technical aptitude, employers and mentors consistently choose a positive, coachable person over a more skilled but difficult one.
A typical IUPAT glazing apprenticeship runs three to four years and roughly 8,000 hours, with earn-while-you-learn pay that increases on a steady, predictable schedule.
The biggest reasons apprentices leave the trade are inconsistent work and the reality of travel, not the physical demands of the job itself, setting honest expectations up front matters more than recruiting harder.
About the Guest
Travis Nevins is the Deputy Director of Organizing at the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT). He spent five years as a New York State registered glazier apprentice before becoming a journey-level glazier at IUPAT District Council 4, Local 677, where he later taught health, safety, and journey-person upgrading courses. He spent seven years on staff at District Council 4 before moving to IUPAT's International Union in 2021.
Travis now works to bring more people into the glazing trade and IUPAT's other core trades, including commercial and industrial painting, drywall finishing, and floor covering, across a network of 105 training centers in the US and Canada.
Keywords
glazier, glazing trade, skilled trades career, glazier apprenticeship, apprenticeship program, journey worker, IUPAT apprenticeship, construction trades career, blue collar career, commercial glazing, curtain wall, facade installation, construction safety, trade school alternative, Travis Nevins, IUPAT, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
RESOURCE LINKS
Travis Nevins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-nevins-43107b202/
IUPAT Website: https://www.iupat.org
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