[08·METHODOLOGY]

Methodology

What we publish

We pull state-board rules, federal data, and union apprenticeship records into a single navigable layer. Every value links to its primary source — usually within two clicks. We do not run a composite score, ranking, or attestation; the source is the truth.

We do not maintain editorial attestation on each line at our current scale. The site's value is making the relevant primary sources reachable in one or two clicks, with the surrounding context a reader needs to know which source applies. Always verify the specific number, fee, deadline, or rule against the linked primary source before relying on it.

What we deliberately do not do

We do not combine signals into a composite score. Different sources measure different things — ED HCM (Heightened Cash Monitoring) measures financial oversight, VA caution flags measure complaint volume and outcomes, and accreditor actions — ACCSC and similar — measure institutional compliance. We show each source on its own row with the publisher's own definition. School records use the federal OPE ID as the canonical primary key, and apprenticeship records key off the union JATC local.

Freshness

Every data-driven page shows a freshness banner with the source's own as-of date. If a source is overdue against its publisher's expected cadence, the banner turns amber.

Corrections

A “Report a correction” email goes live at launch (target May 2026). Send a source URL with your correction and we will update the file or the cited reference.

How each surface is ordered

Every list TN renders has a documented sort rule. None of these rules is a quality judgment.

  • School records — sorted by source provenance order (federal > state > aggregator), then alphabetical within tier.
  • Apprenticeship finder — first 30 programs in source-file order from DOL RAPIDS / CareerOneStop. Not ordered by any quality measure.
  • Trades index (/explore) — alphabetical within taxonomic category (construction, mechanical, automotive, …).
  • Right-now dashboard cards — sorted by application-window status (open windows first), then by date.
  • State hubs (/states/[state]) — alphabetical by trade name within each state.
  • Sources page — grouped by source quality (federal > state > aggregator), then alphabetical.
  • Stories — sorted by persona age ascending (young apprentice → late-career exit).
  • Exit-planning topics — workflow timeline order (broad → narrow), not preference ranking.
  • Search box — keyword-match relevance on page titles only; never includes school, program, or employer attributes.

What this site is not

  • Not a rating agency.
  • Not a ranking service.
  • Not an accreditor.
  • Not a recommendation engine.
  • Not a referral broker.

We republish what state licensing boards, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics publish, and we link every value to its source. Adverse-signal banners on school records appear because the federal record says so — not because we have judged the school.

Independence

Trades Navigator publishes no sponsored content, accepts no affiliate commissions, takes no referral fees from schools, JATCs, contractors, insurers, or software vendors, and pays no party for placement.

We are not a rating agency, not a ranking service, and not an accreditor. We republish what state licensing boards, the U.S. Department of Education, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CareerOneStop publish, and we link every value to its source. Adverse-signal banners on school records appear because the federal record says so — not because we have judged the school.

Maintained by the Trades Navigator team.

Contact email rolls out with the next release. Last reviewed 2026-05-15.

Legal posture

Trades Navigator is not legal, financial, or career advice. Always verify information with the relevant state licensing board, accreditor, or other primary source before acting on it.