Malik Johnson decided to pursue a construction path after learning about a program in high school. He started his career as a concrete laborer and switched to pipe fitting after a pandemic layoff.

CANTON – After more than four years of working and honing their skills, 33 apprentices from around Ohio are showing what they have learned. The contestants have trained in plumbing, pipe fitting or ...

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Malik Johnson, a 29-year-old union pipe fitter in St. Louis. It has been edited for length and clarity. When my parents bought me toys as a child, ...