If you need a job but you dont' know anything about the construction trade. Go work for free! You most likely will hear "you don't have any experience" at which point you can it with by telling them that you're going to work for free until you do have the necessary skills. If they don't hire you, somebody else will.
Learning on the job is far more valuable than learning in the classroom. You're more likely to learn it 4 times faster since you're doing it for 8 hours a day or more. And since you're doing it every day it's a skill that will most likely stick with you for the rest of your life.
In the book Rich Dad Poor Dad the author advocates that working for free is a great way to learn how the rich make money. Of course this isn't possible unless you have enough money to live on. One more reason why having a large emergency fund is a great idea.