“What Should My Kid Do for Work?” A Wealth Manager’s Take

As wealth managers, we often get asked a simple but important question by clients: “What should my kid do for work?”

While we don’t claim to be career counsellors, we do have a unique view into which professions are not only thriving—but also quietly making serious money.

Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room: salespeople and tradespeople. These professions are often unfairly dismissed or overlooked, yet they represent two of the most recession-resistant, scalable, and flexible career paths available in Canada today.

The Salesperson Stigma—and the Reality

There’s a strange negativity in society around being in “sales.” Maybe it’s the idea of cold calling, or the image of someone aggressively pushing a product. But in reality, modern sales roles often carry titles like Account Manager, Relationship Manager, Business Development Rep, or Territory Manager. These are professionals who build trust, solve problems, and help businesses grow—very important work.

I’m a member at The Winston Golf Club in Calgary, and if you pull up the tee sheet midweek—say, Tuesday at 1:00 p.m.—it’s packed with account managers. And no, they’re not skipping work. They’re playing during the day because their careers offer flexibility. Many of them have already hit their quotas, built strong client pipelines, or work in results-driven roles where output matters more than hours punched.

And here’s the kicker—some of them are making over $500,000 a year. That’s not a typo. That’s more than many professionals who spent eight years in university, only to burn out in a high-stress office environment. Sales, when done right (and at the right company, I might add), rewards grit, communication skills, and relationship-building—not diplomas.

The Trades Make Sense—And Cents…And Dollars

Let’s talk about the trades. Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC techs—these jobs are always in demand. They can’t be outsourced overseas or replaced by AI, and they pay very well. Even better, they’re one of the few professions where you can turn a skill into a business without taking on massive debt. In fact, there’s a real opportunity to leverage these skills into building a company that employs other tradespeople.

I just had a son this year, and I can say with full confidence: if he grows up and tells me he wants to be a carpenter or electrician, I’d be thrilled. I won’t have to worry about covering tuition costs or whether there will be a job waiting for him—there absolutely will be. He could work for someone else or start his own business. I’d prefer the latter, but either way, there will be jobs and opportunities—plenty of them, and good ones.

So… What Should Your Kid Do?

If your child has a passion—encourage them to chase it. But if they don’t know what they want to do and you’re looking for solid, practical advice, here it is:

Encourage them to consider becoming a tradesperson or a salesperson.

These are two of the best-paying, most flexible, and most scalable careers in Canada. They’re not going anywhere. And the stigma that lingers around them? It’s outdated—often rooted in a pretentiousness about formal education, even though degrees and fancy credentials won’t necessarily pay the bills in 2025.

At Alpha Bull Canada Private Wealth, we help clients grow their wealth—but we also help them think strategically about how that wealth is built in the first place. And from what we see behind the scenes, the Account Manager on the golf course and the Master Electrician with his own crew are often doing just as well—if not better—than the person with a fancy title and six-figure student debt.

It’s not about the title. It’s about the results—and yes, the money too.