Do your research. Know all the facts. Remember that your parents want you to be happy and have a stable career. You need to show them all the information you have. Keep in mind that the phrase "skilled trade" likely has a very different meaning to your parents. The skilled trades are very, very different than they were 15 or 20 years ago. Remember that the amount of information your parents had about their own careers was incredibly small compared with the amount available to you. They didn't have the Internet, cell phones or e-mail. Remember that the number of career options your parents had was significantly smaller than the number you have. Remember that when your parents were your age, it was not uncommon for people to work for the same company for their entire career. You will probably change careers a few times.