TVFCU NATIONAL BLACK BUSINESS MONTH HIGHLIGHT
The word is “Trade”
One dictionary defines the word trade as, “A skilled job, typically one requiring manual skills and special training.” But if you ask Chattanooga businesswoman Chanda Chambers to define trade, this is what she has to say. “Having a trade means making a good living. A trade allows people to work in tough economic times. A trade represents people who are proud to help rebuild the infrastructure of America. A trade consists of a variety of different people who take pride in what they do. The trade industry is booming. People need to step up to the plate and learn one. It’s all about personal satisfaction.”
Now Hiring
A mom, veteran, human resources specialist and now a business owner of Chambers Welding & Fabrication, CORP., Chanda puts on chaps and jacket, helmet, gloves and steel-toed shoes and drives into work on Taft Avenue each day. It is here where she and her husband, Brent, weld anything from boats to bush hogs. Their teams of employees are out each day joining metal in manufacturing plants, welding steel beam construction all throughout the southeast, working on race cars and fixing metal outdoor furniture at your home. They do it all. Booming industry and economic strength keep this trade, and the need for welders, in high demand. Chanda wants young people to know that a future in trade can begin even before you graduate high school. She says, “Education is a gift. When you go from high school or college to pursue a trade, remember that whatever you put into it is what you get out of it.” She wants to make sure minorities, and especially women hear her chant.
Open for Business
Chanda does not have a welding degree. She is learning the trade by working with her husband and other certified professionals. She handles the hiring and business aspects of the business like marketing, sales and work culture. She is also the one who discovered TVFCU’s Business & Commercial Services team, a dedicated group of financial lenders that help people like the Chambers bring their ideas into reality.
Welding everything together
The Chambers continue to hold their own in this competitive industry. Chanda’s next venture is offering classes to bring newcomers into the world of stainless steel, structural integrity, iron sulfide and making alloys. Chanda wants others to see what learning a trade is all about. Your motivator will be learning right along with you. All it takes is combining hard work, determination and a sense of self-worth to make the perfect weld.
