Posted August 22, 2024

DEWALT Survey Reveals Tool Investment Hinders Entry into Trade Careers

A survey of tradespeople conducted by DEWALT, a Stanley Black & Decker brand, found that 78% agree that the initial buy-in cost of tools was a barrier to getting started in their career.


DEWALT Tool Talk Survey finds 93% of those in trade careers feel the investment in tools is worth it.

The sample participants consisted of those in electrical, carpentry, mechanical, plumbing/pipe trades, general contracting, masonry /concrete, flooring, framing, or HVAC trades.

As the nation grapples with a skilled labor shortage consisting of more than 500,000 open construction jobs, the DEWALT Tool Talk Survey examined how having the right tools for the job impacts those beginning a career in the trades.

To start a career, that initial buy-in of tools can be can range from several thousand to upwards of $10,000 or more.

"Our findings tell us that two in three tradespeople (66%) did not own all the tools needed for their job upon starting their career, and of those, half (52%) say they saved up or took out a loan to purchase tools," said Jeff Doehne, president, U.S. Retail, Stanley Black & Decker. "As part of DEWALT's commitment to grow the trades, we are making every effort to empower those starting out by supplying the tools young professionals need to be successful from day one."

Worth the Investment

Upon the start of their career, nearly 3 in 5 tradespeople (57%) cite the need to replace their toolset with more heavy-duty tools or not having the tools they need as the biggest roadblocks.

Most tradespeople, 92%, said that not having the right tools or losing a tool on the jobsite is a significant hindrance to productivity

In addition, nearly all DEWALT’s survey respondents, 93%, say that investing in durable, high-performance tools is worth paying a higher cost. For 72% of the tradespeople, it took two years or less to see a return on the money spent on their initial investment in tools.

As their careers progress, over 75% of tradespeople refresh or replace their tools at least once a year with 65% estimating their annual investment in tools, batteries and accessories to be $10,000 or more. An additional 41% push the annual estimate to $25,000 or more.

More Workers

According to the survey results, 86% of respondents indicated that it would have been extremely significant or very significant to receive a gift of core tools for their trade upon the start of their career. A total of 88% indicated that easier access to necessary tools would likely attract more workers to

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